After the tragic shootings at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, just like after every senseless act of violence, we seem to search for answers. The most critical question we strive to resolve is why? Why would someone, described as a caring, responsible and tenacious individual, kill five students before turning the gun on himself?
In a recent Los Angeles Times article, the speculation is directed at the erratic and unpredictable effects of the antidepressant Prozac. The shooter, Steve Kazmierczak, went off the drug three weeks prior to his attack. In a quest for answers, some wonder if Prozac (or the lack thereof in his system) caused Kazmierczak to “snap” and devise his attack.
There are countless risks in taking antidepressants yet there are benefits as well. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that antidepressants were the most prescribed drugs in the United States.
To abruptly stop taking an antidepressant is to toss a coin on your mental stability.
A phenomenon known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can cause several symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, fatigue and vivid or disturbing dreams. While this is a long-recognized condition, it is far from an answer to the “why?” question.
People are coming off of antidepressants on a daily basis and, while some may struggle with the transition and may even become aggressive, most don’t kill.
The omnipresence of prescription drugs is a major problem in today’s society. Doctors are too prone to illegible writing on a prescription slip rather than getting to the crux of the medical issue. Effective or not, there is a known risk in taking these meds and to stop taking them is to play with fire.
In the article, Dr. Richard Shelton of Vanderbilt University, a leading researcher on antidepressants and their effects, offered his suggestion for controlling the psychological flames.
In cases of extreme reactions, Shelton said, a physician should wean the patient off “excruciatingly slowly.” This may minimize discontinuation symptoms and make the reappearance of symptoms less likely.
It’s neither a solution nor a guarantee, but it is a way to circumvent the severe symptoms of a post-antidepressant world.
These drugs have quite the double-edged sword. I have seen the difference antidepressants can make in an individual struggling with depression. I have also seen the negative side effects of drugs such as Ritalin and Accutane.
Are patients to be held accountable for their mood swings and actions or does it fall on the prescription drugs?
In the cases where patients suffer from the effects that alter their state of mental being, there needs to be a level of understanding and medical intervention. However, if a patient chooses to no longer take the drugs for the treatment of a mental or chemical illness, they are then wholly responsible for themselves and for notifying their physician.
After all, guns don’t kill people. Drugs don’t kill people. People kill people.
Kendra Fujino is a senior journalism major and a contributing writer for the Daily Forty-Niner.
