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Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Trying to raise Brazilian data on Suicides and Violent Behavior

I'm trying hard to gather information on suicides and violent behavior caused by SSRIs in Brazil. In one desperate attempt I even wrote to ssristories on November 2007.

Rosie was very kind and answered me:

Re: Antidepressants

De:
@bol.com.br Adicionar contato paula.lima3k@bol.com.br
Para:
">ssristories Adicionar contato ssristories@yahoo.com
Cópia:
">mtavares Adicionar contato mtavares@unb.br ,">marioecpereira Adicionar contato marioecpereira@uol.com.br
Assunto:
Re: Antidepressants
Data:
13/11/2007 11:04
Hi Rosie,

I forgot to tell you that in Brazil suicides are not reported by the media. They claim it can influence people to suicide.
As I told you before SSRIs are still miraculous pills with no side effects whatsoever.
I don't know what to do with the story of the woman in my building that was on antidepressant and killed herself. Surely it was due to the depression and is not related with the drug.
I have searched on the WHO archives and found out some data:

"- Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.
"- Mental disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide; however, suicide results from many complex sociocultural...
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/

All of a sudden young people are the group at highest risk. No reference to suicides on antidepressants SSRIs.

I have searched in Portuguese about antidepressant + suicide the data are about the risks of suicidal behavior reported by FDA. It is appalling that the Suicide Prevention we have in Brazil claims that depression is one of the causes and it have to be treated. But nothing is said about suicidal risks on antidepressant SSRIs.
It is as if it does not exist.

In WHO I have found that in 2002:
In Brazil 2002:
15-24 years old= 1637
25-34 years old= 1721
http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/country_reports/en/index.html

If you compare with the other ages these are the highest rates.
I have noticed you have already put Pekka-Eric Auvinen, the Finland boy, on the list. As soon as I saw the news I got suspicious for this kind of violence already have a pattern and only those who do not want to see change the channel or do not read the papers.
We in developing countries have to wait the FDA or MHRA - even though the UK Parliament have already made the 2005 report - to finally make up their minds whether antidepressants SSRIs are great, terrible or great and terrible simultaneously.:)
Sincerely,
Ana



---------- Início da mensagem original -----------

De: "Rosie M" ssristories@yahoo.com
Para: @bol.com.br
Cc:
Data: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 18:07:18 -0800 (PST)

Re: Antidepressants

De:
@bol.com.br Adicionar contato paula.lima3k@bol.com.br
Para:
">ssristories Adicionar contato ssristories@yahoo.com
Assunto:
Re: Antidepressants
Data:
06/11/2007 18:25
Hi Rosie,
Thank you very much for your reply.
There is nothing on the media about suicides or homicides of people on SSRIs.
Nothing is said about side effects, withdrawal symptoms and all the risks.
All we have is the official version of the pharmaceutical industry "there is chemical imbalance"; SSRIs are not addictive; very good medicines.
Not a single psychiatrist has sad anything about the risks.
When you ask them they never heard about it and those who claim these things are scientologists or anti-psychiatrists.
Strong campaign on the web from people who are receiving from laboratories. But only people who knows about it all can identify.
Even when you tell the story of Traci Johnson in Cymlbalta's clinical test trial any of them say something.
I have translated parts of the UK "The Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry"... silence.
Thank you again and hope all of you can make pressure. The more you bring it up to public opinion the easier it is to advocate here.
Sincerely
Ana



---------- Início da mensagem original -----------

De: "Rosie M" ssristories@yahoo.com
Para: @bol.com.br
Cc:
Data: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 18:07:18 -0800 (PST)
Assunto: Re: Antidepressants

> Hi Ana,
>
> There are no stories from Brazil because the two moderators of SSRI Stories can only read English, unfortunately.
>
> I wish there were some way to have the stories from Brazil and other countries in South America appear on SSRI Stories.
>
> If you know of any media cases from Brazil, let me know. Perhaps you would know how to translate the case into English so we could post them on SSRI Stories.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> SSRI Moderator: Rosie M
>
> @bol.com.br wrote:
>
> Sunday, November 4, 2007, 4:27 pm [EST]
>
> From: Ana Lima (@bol.com.br)
>
> I would like to know why there is not any story from Brazil or any other country below Equator.
> Many people are on SSRIs here in Brazil.
> Nothing is said about side effects. There is nothing on the web about side effects.
> Only people who can search the Web in English has access to this scandal.
> I know there is not so much you can do about it.
> I'm just trying to raise the issue.
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
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2 comments:

susan said...

Ana, this is brilliant.

I don't know about all Americans but I can honestly say I have learned this from working abroad. Americans tend to think of themselves as insular., and we forget about other countries other than maybe Canada and the UK. (Unless you wan to go on vacation, LOL).

Thank you for opening my eyes. While I know these stats right and left, upside down for the USA, I did not know these for Brazil. Fascinating.

Ana said...

Thank you Susan,
It's already a victory your remark.
I don't think that only Americans think of themselves as insular.
From what I'm hearing from France, Italy, Spain, UK, Europe countries in general it seems that every country think of themselves as an island. Oh! globalization! A good word to hide all the greedy and selfishness around the world.
I truly believe that this is the worse days of capitalism.
If things get worse I see no future for young people.
It's scary.
Drugging people because of money!
It's so absurd that people have the right not to believe me when I say that normal cholesterol level is 120 and not 100 and they have low it to sell drugs.
Who can believe it if no doctor told anything?