A Weapon In The War In Iraq: Antidepressants
10 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // June 6th, 2008 // 11:12 am
Seven months after sergeant Christopher LeJeune started scouting Baghdad’s dangerous roads — acting as bait to lure insurgents into the open so his Army unit could kill them — he found himself growing increasingly despondent, Time magazine writes.
“We’d been doing some heavy missions, and things were starting to bother me,” says LeJeune, whose unit was protecting Iraqi police stations targeted by rocket-propelled grenades, hunting down mortars hidden in dark Baghdad basements and cleaning up its own messes. “You don’t always know who the bad guys are. When you search someone’s house, you have it built up in your mind that these guys are terrorists, but when you go in, there’s little bitty tiny shoes and toys on the floor — things like that started affecting me a lot more than I thought they would,” he tells Time.
So LeJeune visited a military doctor in Iraq, who, after a quick session, diagnosed depression. The doctor sent him back to war armed with the antidepressant Zoloft and the antianxiety drug clonazepam. “It’s not easy for soldiers to admit the problems that they’re having over there for a variety of reasons,” LeJeune tells Time. “If they do admit it, then the only solution given is pills.”
While the headline-grabbing weapons in this war have been high-tech wonders, like unmanned drones that drop Hellfire missiles on the enemy below, troops like LeJeune are going into battle with a different kind of weapon, one so stealthy that few Americans even know of its deployment. For the first time in history, Times writes, a sizable and growing number of US combat troops are taking daily doses of antidepressants to calm nerves strained by repeated and lengthy tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The meds are intended not only to help troops keep their cool but also to enable the already strapped Army to preserve its most precious resource: soldiers on the front lines, Time writes. Data contained in the Army’s fifth Mental Health Advisory Team report indicate that, according to an anonymous survey of troops taken last fall, about 12 percent of those in Iraq and 17 percent in Afghanistan are on antidepressants or sleeping pills to help them cope. Escalating violence in Afghanistan and the more isolated mission have driven troops to rely more on medication there than in Iraq, Time writes.
Yet, there is no central clearinghouse for this kind of data, and the Army hasn’t consistently asked about prescription-drug use, which makes it difficult to track, the mag notes. Given the traditional stigma associated with soldiers seeking mental help, the survey, released in March, probably underestimates antidepressant use. But if the Army numbers reflect those of other services, about 20,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq were on such meds last fall. The Army estimates that authorized drug use splits roughly fifty-fifty between troops taking antidepressants — largely the class of drugs that includes Prozac and Zoloft — and those taking prescription sleeping pills like Ambien.
Here’s the rest of the story…
Dan
Current Depression Medications: Do The Benefits Outweigh the Harm?
Presently, for the treatment of depression and other what some claim are mental disorders, as they are questionable, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the drugs of choice by most prescribers. Such meds, meds that affect the mind, are called psychotropic medications. SSRIs also include a few meds in this class with the addition of a norepinephrine uptake inhibitor added to the SSRI, and these are referred to SNRI medications. Examples of SNRIs are Cymbalta and Effexor. Some consider these classes of meds a next generation after benzodiazepines, as there are similarities regarding their intake by others, yet the mechanisms of action are clearly different, but not their continued use and popularity by others.
Some Definitions:
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter thought to be associated with mood. The hypothesis was first suggested in the mid 1960s that this neurotransmitter may play a role in moods and emotions in humans. Yet to this day, the serotonin correlation with such behavioral and mental conditions is only theoretical. In fact, the psychiatrist’s bible, which is the DSM, states that the definite etiology of depression remains a mystery and is unknown. So a chemical imbalance in the brain is not proven to be the cause of mood disorders, it is only suspected with limited scientific evidence. In fact, diagnosing diseases such as depression is based on subjective assessment only, as interpreted by the prescriber, so one could question the accuracy of such diagnoses.
Norepinephrine is a stress hormone, which many believe help those who have such mood disorders as depression. Basically, with the theory that by adding this hormone, the SSRI will be more efficacious for a patient prescribed such a med.
And depression is only one of those mood disorders that may exist, yet possibly the most devastating one. An accurate diagnosis of these mood conditions lack complete accuracy, as they can only be defined conceptually, so the diagnosis is dependent on subjective criteria, such as questionnaires. There is no objective diagnostic testing for depression. Yet the diagnosis of depression in patients has increased quite a bit over the decades. Also, few would argue that depression does not exist in other people. Yet, one may contemplate, actually how many other people are really depressed?
Several decades ago, less than 1 percent of the U.S. populations were thought to have depression. Today, it is believed that about 10 percent of the populations have depression at some time in their lives. Why this great increase in the growth of this condition remains unknown and is subject to speculation. What is known is that the psychiatry specialty is the one specialty most paid to by certain pharmaceutical companies for ultimately and eventual support of their psychotropic meds, as this industry clearly desires market growth of these products. Regardless, SSRIs and SRNIs are the preferred treatment methods if depression or other mood disorders are suspected by a health care provider. Yet these meds discussed clearly are not the only treatments, medicinally or otherwise, for depression and other related disease states.
Over 30 million scripts of these types of meds are written annually, and the franchise is around 20 billion dollars a year, with some of the meds costing over 3 dollars per tablet. There are about ten different SSRI/SRNI meds available, many of which are now generic, yet essentially, they appear to be similar in regards to their efficacy and adverse events. The newest one, a SNRI called Pristiq, was approved in 2008, and is believed to being promoted for treatment for menopause. The first one of these SSRI meds was Prozac, which was available in 1988, and the drug was greatly praised for its ability to transform the lives of those who consumed this medication in the years that followed. Some termed Prozac, ‘the happy pill’. In addition, as the years went by and more drugs in this class became available, Prozac was the one of preference for many doctors for children. A favorable book was published specifically regarding this medication soon after it became so popular with others.
Furthermore, these meds have received additional indications besides depression for some really questionable conditions, such as social phobia and premenstrual syndrome. With the latter, I find it hard to believe that a natural female experience can be considered a treatable disease. Social phobia is a personality trait, in my opinion, which has been called shyness or perhaps a term coined by Dr. Carl Jung, which is introversion, so this probably should not be labeled a treatable disease as well. There are other indications for certain behavioral manifestations as well with the different SSRIs or SRNIs. So the market continues to grow with these meds. Yet, it is believed that these meds are effective in only about half of those who take them, so they are not going to be beneficial for those suspected of having certain medical illnesses treated by such meds. The makers of such meds seemed to have created such conditions besides depression for additional utilization of these types of medications, and are active and have been active in forming symbiotic relationships with related disease- specific support groups, such as providing financial support for screenings for the indicated conditions of their meds- screening of children and adolescents in particular, I understand, and as a layperson, I consider such activities dangerous and inappropriate for several reasons.
Danger and concerns by others primarily involves the adverse effects associated with these types of meds, which include suicidal thoughts and actions, violence, including acts of homicide, and aggression, among others, and the makers of such drugs are suspected to have known about these effects and did not share them with the public in a timely and critical manner. While most SSRIs and SNRIs are approved for use in adults only, prescribing these meds to children and adolescents has drawn the most attention and debate with others, such as those in the medical profession as well as citizen watchdog groups. The reasons for this attention are due to the potential off-label use of these meds in this population, yet what may be most shocking is the fact that some of the makers of these meds did not release clinical study information about the risks of suicide as well as the other adverse events related to such populations, including the decreased efficacy of SSRIs in general, which is believed to be less than 10 percent more effective than a placebo. Paxil caught the attention of the government regarding this issue of data suppression some time ago, this hiding such important information- Elliot Spitzer specifically, as I recall.
And there are very serious questions about the use of SSRIs in children and adolescents regarding the effects of these meds on them. For example, do the SSRIs correct or create brain states considered not within normal limits, which in effect could cause harm rather than benefit? Are adolescents really depressed, or just experiencing what was once considered normal teenage angst? Do SSRIs have an effect on the brain development and their identity of such young people? Do adolescents in particular become dangerous or bizarre due to SSRIs interfering with the myelination occurring in their still developing brains? No one seems to know the correct answer to such questions, yet the danger associated with the use of SSRIs does in fact exist. It is observed in some who take such meds, but not all who take these meds. Yet health care providers possibly should be much more aware of these possibilities
Finally, if SSRIs are discontinued, immediately in particular instead of a gradual discontinuation, withdrawals are believed to be quite brutal, and may be a catalyst for suicide in itself, as not only are these meds habit forming, but discontinuing these meds, I understand, leaves the brain in a state of neurochemical instability, as the neurons are recalibrating upon discontinuation of the SSRI that altered the brain of the consumer of this type of med. This occurs to some degree with any psychotropic med, yet the withdrawals can reach a state of danger for the victim in some classes of meds such as SSRIs, it is believed.
SSRIs and SRNIs have been claimed by doctors and patients to be extremely beneficial for the patient’s well -being regarding the patient’s mental issues where these types of meds are used, yet the risk factors associated with this class of medications may outweigh any perceived benefit for the patient taking such a drug. Considering the lack of efficacy that has been demonstrated objectively, along with the deadly adverse events with these meds only recently brought to the attention of others, other treatment options should probably be considered, but that is up to the discretion of the prescriber.
“I use to care, but now I take a pill for that.” — Author unknown
Dan Abshear
Jack2
Thank you Dan, for yet another pre-generated post that only relates tangentially to the story. And here, by tangentially, I mean like the way Neptune’s orbit may tangentially touch the orbit of Pluto*.
*Pluto and Neptune can never touch, and are always seperated by more than a billion kilometers.
Mary Weiss
Bravo to Dan Abshear!
I cannot add a word to your comment; you are obviously very well informed. We will have thousands of soldiers coming home medicated. That will do no one any good other than the pharmaceutical companies! Also, Ambien is not a drug meant to be taken for more than a few weeks!
A good book for information on these drugs is “Comfortably Numb - how psychiatry is medicating a nation” by Charles Barber. Or “Mad in America” by Robert Whitaker. Or any book by Dr. Peter Breggin. Or any book by Marcia Angell. Or “Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs” by Dr. Grace E. Jackson.
The information about these drugs and the companies that push them is out there - but we seem to prefer to be a nation whose troubles can all be cast into oblivion by a little pill!
Incidentally, in the Minnesota prison system they give inmates Seroquel to help them sleep! An antipsychotic to help you sleep! Then, when they leave the prison they give them a ten day supply! Do they wonder why the have a ‘revolving door’ back into the cell?
My son died in a clinical study that I tried to get him out of for five months. I asked if he had to kill himself before anyone did anything? They ignored - and he did! I watched him deteriorate weekly on Seroquel! The information on what happened to Dan Markingson can be found under TwinCities.com: Put in “The Death of Subject 13.”
Antidepressants are not much better. Go to ssri.com to see what they do. Seek out the truth!
Lisa Van S
Ed,
Its a shame that the Time reporter left out the growing numbers of troops who are being prescribed the combo Paxil/Seroquel which caused 4 men to die in their sleep in West Virginia. A recent study found that antidepressants aren’t effective in treating War PTSD.
Tim
And while antidepressent use is on the rise in the military, so is the suicide rate. I thought I saw a report the other day that the suicide rate in the military is up by 50 percent since the begining of the Iraq war.
A lot of people will blame the person committing the suicide, but when the very drug they are taking for depression has a side effect of suicidal ideation, it has to make you think what is really going on here.
These drugs kill and unfortunaely people are being sold on the idea that they help relieve the symptoms, which is just another Big Pharma lie.
Dan
Mary,
While I thank you for the compliment, I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your son. Vicariously, I am aware of what you are going through, as I lost a nephew in the war in 2004, and the boy’s mother is in intrinsic pain daily since then. Others try and help her, but they unfortunately and understandably are unsuccessful. I pray for your eventual recovery from your loss,
Dan Abshear
Dan
Mary,
Also, it is because of people like you that I write so thoroughly,
Dan Abshear
Anne
Having lost my only son to Zyprexa, and coming to know others around the country whose children died from the atypicals or the antipsychotics, I have been very uneasy reading about the suicide rates in the military. So much so that I’ve debated calling a couple of national vets groups to discuss the situation. Just as was mentioned above - tapering off cautiously is essential to lower the risk of homicide/suicide, so is starting up on SSRIs and SNRIs. Yet I suspect that neither issue is being taken care of. Taking the drugs is probably treated as a secret, a stigma, so who is there to watch the soldier, to support the soldier, in start up or taper off? When this information is not shared in the non-military setting, of course it is not happening in the middle of war, or as a quick fix, PTSD solution by an overwhelmed VA system. I hope the word gets out, and I hope I can help.
Dazzie
Just wanted to share this, how about if the army gets supplies of this 7 fruit juice antioxidant punch, it would help them as antidpressant since high antioxidant levels boost the immune system, give boundless energy and endurance levels and also helps prevent premature ageing and cancer and you can get all this from this drink called purple. If you want more information to check whether what I am saying is right you can get it at http://www.drinkpurple.com , You can get it at GNC and drug stores. Please let me know if you tried it and liked it or not. It is sugar-free except sugar from fruit juices which is necessary right?
Daniel Zegiel
The article in time certainly raised my awareness. (visual response: http://www.zegiel.net/?p=449)