This is a tragic case, SSRIs are very widely used, and it probably varies from country to country, but in a lot of places people aren’t told about the increase in su*cidal ideation.
I think the measures the family suggest here **The couple want patients to sign a document confirming they’ve been told about the difficulties of going on and coming off the medication. This could include the patient being told that “it’s an extreme case, but it could lead to suicide”, Mrs Kingston says. “We’d really like to see that a person, a spouse, a partner, a parent, a close friend, somebody, was going to walk with them through it. Maybe they should be at that signing time.”** might’ve in their opinion saved their son , but the other side of it is that it might scare other patients and their families off them taking the medication in the first place, and they can be life saving but It’s definitely something that deserves a conversation
I think this is really irresponsible. Do they have any evidence that Thomas’ doctor didn’t inform him? I’ve been informed multiple times when going onto antidepressants of the risk. The article mentions gps don’t have enough time – so surely then the campaign should be for longer gp appointments rather than a waiver to scare people off treatment. If they don’t currently have the time to explain this properly to patients, then a waiver is only adding another thing they have to fit into the apointment, and it would not be being signed with fully informed consent since we’ve established already that GPs in england apparently don’t have enough time to explain the risks to people.
Antidepressants don’t just randomly cause suicidal ideation. What happens in these cases is your energy and cognitive function returns faster than your mood lifts. Depressive symptoms of low energy, not being able to get out of bed etc are protective against suicide and it is the easing of symptoms that creates the risk. Thìs is also one of the reasons why bipolar patients have higher rates of suicide- they enter a mixed state where their mood is low but their energy is high. I don’t think there is a way to treat depression without increasing this risk. no matter the method of treatment, some people will inevitably get better unevenly.
That they said there was no evidence he was suicidal just shows neither they nor the coroner (shockingly) understand suicidal ideation. People will go to great lengths to conceal it (especially men) and it’s very very common that people appear happier or in a good mood before they kill themselves, because a weight has been lifted off their shoulders and they feel like they have a solution to their problems. I understand they are grieving, but their son had likely been hiding how unwell he was from them, and to misrepresent the risk of antidepressants and campaign for something that could discourage people from getting treatment is really gross.
depression can be so severe that no matter what the patient takes, it won’t help them.
To attribute it to SSRIs is very difficult. I do think b
(Broadly) patients are aware of the side effects – usually antidepressants are not always prescribed on the first appointment and their is time for discussion.
GPs do favour self-help and therapy initially.
So he was off the medication when he died, was depressed..and his parents are essentially blaming the medication because of a very rare side effect that is typically seen in people under 18?! Doctors typically tell people the main side effects, and since we don’t see a lot of suicidal ideation in patients over 18 (except the very old) when they start a ssri, it might be overlooked. It is also an adults responsibility to read the pamphlet of all medication they are prescribed.
I understand suicide is a very hard thing to come to terms with. I’ve lost a best friend to it. Them saying he was so happy just days before means nothing. That is often the case because the person has come to terms with the ending of their life.
Am I the only one who finds it weird that he relied on a Palace clinic doctor instead of going to a psychiatrist? I’m not from the UK, but it seems to me that a depression treatment should be followed closely by a psychiatrist.
They are hurting but this is NOT the correct response . And whilst unlikely , could impact people . It’s pretty unlikely though . Poor fellow . Hope he’s peaceful
Those changes would be counterproductive. No one with a severe bout of depression is going to go to the doctor, if they have talk about Suicide and bring someone with them.
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This is a tragic case, SSRIs are very widely used, and it probably varies from country to country, but in a lot of places people aren’t told about the increase in su*cidal ideation.
I think the measures the family suggest here **The couple want patients to sign a document confirming they’ve been told about the difficulties of going on and coming off the medication. This could include the patient being told that “it’s an extreme case, but it could lead to suicide”, Mrs Kingston says. “We’d really like to see that a person, a spouse, a partner, a parent, a close friend, somebody, was going to walk with them through it. Maybe they should be at that signing time.”** might’ve in their opinion saved their son , but the other side of it is that it might scare other patients and their families off them taking the medication in the first place, and they can be life saving but It’s definitely something that deserves a conversation
I think this is really irresponsible. Do they have any evidence that Thomas’ doctor didn’t inform him? I’ve been informed multiple times when going onto antidepressants of the risk. The article mentions gps don’t have enough time – so surely then the campaign should be for longer gp appointments rather than a waiver to scare people off treatment. If they don’t currently have the time to explain this properly to patients, then a waiver is only adding another thing they have to fit into the apointment, and it would not be being signed with fully informed consent since we’ve established already that GPs in england apparently don’t have enough time to explain the risks to people.
Antidepressants don’t just randomly cause suicidal ideation. What happens in these cases is your energy and cognitive function returns faster than your mood lifts. Depressive symptoms of low energy, not being able to get out of bed etc are protective against suicide and it is the easing of symptoms that creates the risk. Thìs is also one of the reasons why bipolar patients have higher rates of suicide- they enter a mixed state where their mood is low but their energy is high. I don’t think there is a way to treat depression without increasing this risk. no matter the method of treatment, some people will inevitably get better unevenly.
That they said there was no evidence he was suicidal just shows neither they nor the coroner (shockingly) understand suicidal ideation. People will go to great lengths to conceal it (especially men) and it’s very very common that people appear happier or in a good mood before they kill themselves, because a weight has been lifted off their shoulders and they feel like they have a solution to their problems. I understand they are grieving, but their son had likely been hiding how unwell he was from them, and to misrepresent the risk of antidepressants and campaign for something that could discourage people from getting treatment is really gross.
depression can be so severe that no matter what the patient takes, it won’t help them.
To attribute it to SSRIs is very difficult. I do think b
(Broadly) patients are aware of the side effects – usually antidepressants are not always prescribed on the first appointment and their is time for discussion.
GPs do favour self-help and therapy initially.
So he was off the medication when he died, was depressed..and his parents are essentially blaming the medication because of a very rare side effect that is typically seen in people under 18?! Doctors typically tell people the main side effects, and since we don’t see a lot of suicidal ideation in patients over 18 (except the very old) when they start a ssri, it might be overlooked. It is also an adults responsibility to read the pamphlet of all medication they are prescribed.
I understand suicide is a very hard thing to come to terms with. I’ve lost a best friend to it. Them saying he was so happy just days before means nothing. That is often the case because the person has come to terms with the ending of their life.
Am I the only one who finds it weird that he relied on a Palace clinic doctor instead of going to a psychiatrist? I’m not from the UK, but it seems to me that a depression treatment should be followed closely by a psychiatrist.
They are hurting but this is NOT the correct response . And whilst unlikely , could impact people . It’s pretty unlikely though . Poor fellow . Hope he’s peaceful
Those changes would be counterproductive. No one with a severe bout of depression is going to go to the doctor, if they have talk about Suicide and bring someone with them.
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