Profile of a School Shooter: Ingredient 12 - The Anti-depressant connection

A little less publicized about mass shootings is the fact that nearly all of these school shooters were on psychiatric medications now known to aggravate violent behaviors. At some point these drugs were prescribed, and often changed somewhere near the shooting (Red Lake, Columbine, New Life Church) but for some reason their medical providers were only treating the symptoms. While the dangers of antidepressants and other mood altering drugs are known, they are still being prescribed without the necessary psychiatric follow-up. Medication is far cheaper than therapy, and easier too.

In 2003 doctors were warned not to give most common antidepressants to under 18s, because of fears that the risks outweighed the benefits.

In 2004 the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory warning that “anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, akathisia [severe restlessness], hypomania [abnormal excitement] and mania [psychosis characterized by exalted feelings, delusions of grandeur and overproduction of ideas] have been reported in adult and pediatric patients being treated with antidepressants.”

Out of 22 cases I was able to study in depth, in all but one case, these boys had been on some type of anti-depressant or similar medication. Not only that, time after time I found that their dosages had recently been changed. Either they had recently been prescribed, changed dosage, or just stopped taking them.

Most of these shootings occurred in the 1990s, in a time where there was a 700% increase in psycho stimulant use. That usage more than doubled between 1999 and 2007. A recent estimate states that more than 6% of American children are now on some sort of psychiatric medication, this estimate is even higher among teens. Out of approximately 5 million children under the age of 18, that means 300, 000 are currently on some sort of psychiatric medication.

Recent studies have shown that a small percentage of those on psycho stimulants do show some signs of violent behavior. These people already prone to violence mixed with antidepressants can become a very dangerous threat. Many become a danger to themselves, resulting in attempted or completed suicide while others become outwardly violent. Only .31 % of patients taking a placebo experienced a "hostility event" that number doubled to .65 % when they were given the anti-depressant Paxil, approximately 200 children and teens.

While not everyone who is prescribed these medications can be expected to act out violently, if the propensity for violent behavior is already there, introducing these medications has been proven to double the likely hood of a violent reaction. It's like playing Russian roulette with pills. The risk is small, but the damage done can be great.

This is a subject that is getting more and more attention in recent years, people are beginning to see the dangers and respond to them. Yet the number of prescriptions written for children is increasing. They are now prescribing some of the medications for infants and toddlers.

A black box warning is now required for all antidepressants. These medications were made for and tested on adults. Even in the late teens, the brain is still not done developmentally.

Introducing chemicals to an undeveloped brain can and does have dire consequences. They can decrease blood flow to the brain, and induce psychosis in some patients. Increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors can also occur. Increased potential for violence being another dangerous side effect. As parents and educators we really need to be sure the risks are worth it. Is it worth it to have a child who is better able to focus in school or at home, when that deadly potential may be there?