Posted by SLS on July 20, 2005, at 1:53:18
In reply to Re: Bad (but expected) news about ADs » SLS, posted by linkadge on July 19, 2005, at 17:26:56
> I don't know what you are saying.
>
>
> Linadge
What I am saying is that the rates of reporting of suicides have changed, not the occurence of suicide. Suicides are reported much more often now because it is no longer a taboo to admit that it happens at all. It is a cultural thing. It is also a data collection thing. How does one go about finding out who commits suicide and who doesn't? Compare the technology between then and now. Even the telephone has made a huge difference in reporting practices. If anything, the rates of *reported* suicides should have increased given an equal rate of actual suicides, yet, reported rates have remained the same according to *your* citation. This means that the rate of actual suicides must actually have decreased.Along another line of observation is the *fact* that rates of suicide have dropped precipitously since the introduction of Prozac and the media coverage that it brought to depression and its biological nature. It has become far less stigmatized, and more people came out of the closet to be treated.
American suicide rates have dropped steadily since the introduction of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=7622
Suicide rates have decreased steadily since the introduction of antidepressants. These drugs work. For many, they work like magic.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:530123
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050718/msgs/530496.html