The Dangers of Anti-Depressants

On March 21, 2005 we witnessed the worst school shooting since Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.  It took place at Red Lake High School in Red Lake, Minnesota.  Jeff Weise, a 16-year-old kid, killed nine people and then himself.  The question always arises: Why?  What leads a teenaged boy to do such horrible things?  The answer is right under our noses! 

When you look at similar high profile crimes that are committed in this country, you will see that many of the perpetrators are taking antidepressants.  For example, Eric Harris, 18, shot 12 fellow students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.  He had been taking Luvox, a psychiatric drug similar to Prozac.  In 1998, Kip Kinkel, 14, killed his parents before going on a shooting spree at his high school in Springfield, Oregon, killing two and injuring 25.  He had quit taking Prozac just before the shooting, causing his emotional rage to increase.  

Sky Grant, Jeff Weise’s friend, said Jeff was also taking Prozac.  Grant said, “Everybody changes when they start taking antidepressants. He (Jeff) was a lot more quiet.  I wouldn’t say any better.”   How true it is.  They don’t work but cause more damage!

   Mark Taylor said it best when he testified before the FDA: 

I am a victim of the SSRI antidepressant era. I took six to thirteen bullets in the heart area in the Columbine High School shooting when Eric Harris on Luvox opened fire that now infamous day.  

They almost had to amputate my leg and my arm. My heart missed by only one millimeter. I had three surgeries.  Five years later I am still recuperating.

I went through all this to realize that SSRI antidepressants are dangerous for those who take them and for all those who associate with those who take them. 

I hope that my testimony today shows you that you need to take action immediately before more innocent people like me, and you, do not get hurt or die horrible deaths as a result. 

As Americans we should have the right to feel safe and if you were doing your job we would be safe.  Why are we worrying about terrorists in other countries when the pharmaceutical companies have proven to be our biggest terrorists by releasing these drugs on an unsuspecting public?  

How are we suppose to feel safe at school, at home, on the street, at church or anywhere else if we cannot trust the FDA to do what we are paying you to do?  Where were you when I and all of my classmates got shot at Columbine? 

You say that antidepressants are effective.  So why did they not help Eric Harris before he shot me?  

According to Eric they “helped” him to feel homicidal and suicidal after only six weeks on Zoloft.  And then he said that dropping off Luvox cold turkey would help him “fuel the rage” he needed to shoot everyone.  But he continued on Luvox and shot us all anyway.  

So, why did these so called antidepressants not make him better?  I will tell you why.  It is because they do not work! 

We should consider antidepressants to be accomplices to murder!

On September 14, 2004 the FDA linked SSRIs to suicide in kids and has issued black box warnings on ALL antidepressant medications for children.  That’s great but it’s only a baby step.  The doctors who prescribe these antidepressants are presumed to be trusted to look out for the best interest of our children.  If a doctor tells a parent to put their kid on an antidepressant and there’s a warning on it, who do you think the parent will listen to?  The doctor, of course.  It’s almost as if the FDA is trying to silence the people by giving them a little warning box.  Why don’t medical professionals stop prescribing them completely?  They know how dangerous these drugs are and they still give them to people.  I bet they would stop making them available if something tragic like this happened to their kid.  

The fact is, doctors hand them out like candy and are making a lot of money.  Author and social theorist Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. said, “No matter what you’re selling, the heavy user is your best customer.  Whenever someone recovers, someone loses money, whether it’s the drug dealer on the street or the pusher in the boardroom.” 

In April 2004, Express Scripts Inc., which keeps stats on drug use, said preschool children’s use of antidepressants nearly doubled between 1998 and 2002, the fastest growth among any age group!  That’s right, preschool kids.  You see, if you can convince the parents and kids that they need these drugs, you have a client for life.  To them, money is more important than our kids and it’s time we hold them accountable.  Enough is enough!

For more information on anti-depressants, please get a copy of our 2 hour radio show on anti-depressants here.