There were 2.8 times more suicides in drug trials of newer antidepressants approved between 1991 and 2013 compared to those given a placebo according to an analysis of fourteen (14) antidepressant drug studies.

“More than half (56%) of people who attempt to come off antidepressants experience withdrawal effects” notes a new review paper by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“Withdrawal incidence rates from 14 studies ranged from 27% to 86% with a weighted average of 56%.”

“Nearly half (46%) of people experiencing withdrawal effects describe them as severe.”

Withdrawal effects can last for weeks or months the paper notes.

One study calculated the average duration of withdrawal to be 79 weeks or 1.5 years!

“More than half (56%) of people who attempt to come off antidepressants experience withdrawal effects” notes a new review paper by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“Withdrawal incidence rates from 14 studies ranged from 27% to 86% with a weighted average of 56%.”

“Nearly half (46%) of people experiencing withdrawal effects describe them as severe.”

Withdrawal effects can last for weeks or months the paper notes.

One study calculated the average duration of withdrawal to be 79 weeks or 1.5 years!

“Typical [antidepressant] withdrawal reactions include increased anxiety, flu-like symptoms, insomnia, nausea, imbalance, sensory disturbances, and hyperarousal,” notes a new review paper by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“Dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, brain zaps, diarrhoea, headaches, muscle spasms and tremors, agitation, hallucinations, confusion, malaise, sweating and irritability are also reported.”

“Although the aforementioned symptoms are the most common physical symptoms, there is also evidence that [antidepressant] withdrawal can induce mania and hypomania, emotional blunting and an inability to cry, long-term or even permanent sexual dysfunction.”

“Typical [antidepressant] withdrawal reactions include increased anxiety, flu-like symptoms, insomnia, nausea, imbalance, sensory disturbances, and hyperarousal,” notes a new review paper by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“Dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, brain zaps, diarrhoea, headaches, muscle spasms and tremors, agitation, hallucinations, confusion, malaise, sweating and irritability are also reported.”

“Although the aforementioned symptoms are the most common physical symptoms, there is also evidence that [antidepressant] withdrawal can induce mania and hypomania, emotional blunting and an inability to cry, long-term or even permanent sexual dysfunction.”

“I forgot to take my citalopram [Celexa] for two days and woke up one morning with severe dizziness. It was so extreme that I fell over when I tried to get out of bed and I threw up,” one antidepressant user was quoted as saying in a new review paper about antidepressant withdrawal by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“The withdrawal effects if I forget to take my [antidepressant] pill are severe shakes, suicidal thoughts, a feeling of too much caffeine in my brain, electric shocks, hallucinations, insane mood swings. ….. kinda stuck on them now coz I’m too scared to come off it,” one antidepressant user was quoted as saying in a new review paper about antidepressant withdrawal by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“While there is no doubt I am better on this medication, the adverse effects have been devastating – when I have tried to withdraw - with “head zaps”, agitation, insomnia and mood changes. This means that I do not have the option of managing the depression any other way because I have a problem coming off this medication,” one antidepressant user was quoted as saying in a new review paper about antidepressant withdrawal by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“It took me 2 months of hell to come off the antidepressants. Was massively harder than I expected,” one antidepressant user was quoted as saying in a new review paper about antidepressant withdrawal by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

“It took me almost two years to get off Paroxetine and the side effects were horrendous. I even had to quit my job because I felt sick all the time. Even now that I am off of it, I still feel electric shocks in my brain,” one antidepressant user was quoted as saying in a new review paper about antidepressant withdrawal by Dr. James Davies, from the University of Roehampton in London, England, and Prof. John Read, from the University of East London.

Antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs have not caused disability rates to fall as one might expect, but instead, these drugs have caused disability rates to skyrocket according to author and journalist Robert Whitaker as he noted in a 2010 interview that he did with Joseph Mercola, DO, and in his book Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America.

Number of people on government disability went from 1.25 million in 1987 to 4 million 20 years later

Whitaker notes that in 1987 when Prozac was introduced, there were 1.25 million people [ in the US ] on government disability due to mental illness.

As of 2010, twenty years later, there are 4 million people on government disability due to mental illness.

“So here we have this new embrace of a medication that is said to be a wonder drug and what do we see, we see disability rates do to depression and disability rates do to bipolar illness are skyrocketing [ because of these drugs ],” Whitaker says.

Three-fourths of people (74%) taking antidepressants long-term reported withdrawal symptoms when they stopped their drug according to data from 180 patients who had taken antidepressants for 3-15 years.

89% reported antidepressants had improved their depression.

30% reported moderate-to-severe depression on antidepressants.

72% reported sexual problems on antidepressants.

65% reported failure to reach orgasm on antidepressants.

65% reported weight gain on antidepressants.

65% reported feeling emotionally numb on antidepressants.

55% reported “feeling not like myself” on antidepressants.

46% reported “reduced positive feelings” on antidepressants.

36% reported “caring less about others” on antidepressants.

43% reported feeling “addicted” to their antidepressant.

36% reported “suicidality” on antidepressants.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking amitriptyline (Elavil) were 1.7-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking escitalopram (Lexapro) were 2.3-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking citalopram (Celexa) were 2.6-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking fluoxetine (Prozac) were 2.6-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking sertraline (Zoloft) were 2.9-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking paroxetine (Paxil) were 4-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking trazodone (Oleptro) were 5-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking venlafaxine (Effexor) were 5.7-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

Research shows that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide.

People given a diagnosis of depression who were taking mirtazapine (Remeron) were 9.5-times more likely to commit suicide over the next five (5) years compared to people given a diagnosis of depression who were taking no antidepressants according to a recent analysis.

People over the age of 65 taking a tricyclic antidepressant were 1.7 times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) were 2.2 times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking mirtazapine (Remeron) or venlafaxine (Effexor), referred to as “other antidepressants”, were 5.2 times more likely to attempt suicide or self harm during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking mirtazapine (Remeron) or venlafaxine (Effexor), referred to as “other antidepressants”, were 1.7 times more likely to die during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) for depression were 1.7 times more likely to fall (and 1.6 times more likely to get a fracture) compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking mirtazapine (Remeron) or venlafaxine (Effexor), referred to as “other antidepressants”, were 1.4 times more likely to have an ischemic stroke (where a blood clot interrupts the flow of blood) or transient ischemic attack during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

People over the age of 65 taking mirtazapine (Remeron) or venlafaxine (Effexor), referred to as “other antidepressants”, were 2.2 times more likely to have a seizure during the study period compared to when antidepressants were not being used according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

All-cause mortality over one-year was 16% higher (after adjustments) in people over 65 taking a tricyclic antidepressant compared to when patients were not taking an antidepressant according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

The absolute death rate was 8.12% over one year in those taking a tricyclic antidepressant compared to 7.04% for those not taking an antidepressant.

All-cause mortality over one-year was 54% higher in people over 65 taking other serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) compared to when patients were not taking an antidepressant according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

All-cause mortality over one-year was 51% higher in people over 65 taking a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant compared to when patients were not taking an antidepressant according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

The absolute death rate was 10.61% over one year in those taking a tricyclic antidepressant compared to 7.04% for those not taking an antidepressant.

All-cause mortality over one-year was 66% higher in people over 65 taking mirtazapine (Remeron) or venlafaxine (Effexor), referred to as “other antidepressants”, compared to when patients were not taking an antidepressant according to a 2011 study from the U.K.

The absolute death rate was 11.43% over one year in those taking a other antidepressants compared to 7.04% for those not taking an antidepressant.

Antidepressant use is associated with an increased risk of seizures / epilepsy according to a study from UK researchers.

The increased risk of seizures is as follows:

Short-term randomized trials of older people show that antipsychotics kill one (1) out of every 100 people notes Prof. Peter Gøtzsche, MD.

In people 65 and older in the USA and Europe alone, antipsychotics, antidepressants and benzodiazepines kill more than 500,000 people per year Dr. Gøtzsche estimates.

It can take months or years to get off of an antidepressant and some people never succeed notes Prof. Peter Gøtzsche, MD.

Withdrawal symptoms of antidepressants are very similar to those of benzodiazepines, 37 of 42 symptoms were the same, Dr. Gøtzsche notes.

Half of patients say that they are dependent on [addicted to] antidepressants and it is difficult to stop.

In 2003, the W.H.O. reported that fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft) were among the top 30 highest ranking drugs for which drug dependence had ever been reported.

Antidepressants have been found to have very little effect when compared to an active placebo—a placebo which causes dry mouth so that neither the patients nor the researchers can guess who is getting the real drug—notes Prof. Peter Gøtzsche, MD.

He notes that the effect of the real antidepressants—tricyclic antidepressants in these trials—found a difference of only 1.3 points on the Hamilton Depression Scale, but the smallest effect that can be perceived is 5-6 points.

[Note: Studies show that serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSIR’s) are no more effective than tricyclic antidepressants.]

[For example, a meta-analysis published in 2000 which compared the efficacy of these two classes of drugs concluded that “There is no overall difference in efficacy between SSRIs and TCAs [tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline].”]

Patients improve by the same amount naturally within a few days

Dr. Gøtzsche also notes that other antidepressant studies have found that it only takes a few days longer for the placebo group to improve by 1.3 points on the Hamilton Depression Scale which is simply the spontaneous remission of the disease.

In other words, antidepressants have very little effect and most of the improvement that people experience over time is simply the natural, spontaneous remission of the depression.

I realized this in 1994 when my mother was told to take an antidepressant for two months to see if it was going to work, followed by another antidepressant for two months, followed by another antidepressant.

At the time I thought how incredibly ineffective these drugs must be if it takes two months for them to have an effect.

Below is a quote of exactly what Dr. Gøtzsche wrote.

“Under-reporting of deaths in [drug] industry funded trials [of antidepressants] is another major flaw. Based on some of the randomised trials that were included in a meta-analysis of 100,000 patients by the US Food and Drug Administration, I have estimated that there are likely to have been 15 times more suicides among people taking antidepressants than reported by the FDA,” writes Prof. Peter Gøtzsche, MD.

The supposed benefit of prescription antidepressants is clinically meaningless when compared to a placebo notes Irving Kirsch, PhD from Harvard Medical School.

When analyzing data from both published and unpublished studies of prescription antidepressants, Irving Kirsch found a difference between antidepressants and a placebo were only 1.8 points on the Hamilton Depression Scale.

“The [Hamilton Depression Scale] is a 17-item scale on which people can score from 0 to 53 points, depending on how depressed they are,” Kirsh writes.

“A six-point [6-point] difference can be obtained just by changes in sleep patterns, with no change in any other symptom of depression.”

“The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which drafts treatment guidelines for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, has established a three-point difference [3-point difference] between drug and placebo on the [Hamilton Depression Scale] as a criterion of clinical significance.

“Thus, when published and unpublished data are combined, they fail to show a clinically significant advantage for antidepressant medication over inert placebo.”

    “Antidepressants are supposed to work by fixing a chemical imbalance, specifically, a lack of serotonin in the brain,” writes Irving Kirsch, PhD from Harvard Medical School.

    “Instead of curing depression, popular antidepressants may induce a biological vulnerability making people more likely to become depressed in the future.”