Antidepressants Decrease Suicide Risk in the Long Term

Although recent FDA advisories have emphasized that antidepressants can increase suicidality, particularly in individuals under age 25, this caveat was based on short-term studies (lasting 4–8 weeks) that overemphasized suicidal ideation (which comprised 70% of the primary outcome), rather than more clinically relevant measures of attempts and completions. Also, these studies typically excluded patients with recent or current suicidal ideation or attempts and more complex medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Now, in an important observational analysis, researchers have examined the link between antidepressant exposure and suicide attempts or completions in 757 depressed patients assessed annually for up to 27 years in the National Institute…