Emerging Perspectives: Look Again — SSRIs and Fewer Suicide Attempts

Several epidemiological studies from the past two decades have associated the prescription of SSRIs with lower U.S. suicide rates. More recently, a flurry of articles indicated that 1% to 3% of depressed patients under age 25 treated with SSRIs and new-generation non-SSRI antidepressants experienced suicidality (predominantly, suicidal ideation; occasionally, attempts; but not completed suicides). With these newer studies came enormous media attention, a black-box warning from the FDA in 2004, considerable consternation among parents and patients, fewer prescriptions for these medications, and a subsequent 2004 bump in suicide rates for young patients. Three new articles suggest that antidepressant medications do not increase rates of suici…