Treating depression reduces suicide attempts

Treating people suffering from depression either medication or psychotherapy reduces suicide attempts. Researchers from the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle analysed 70,368 depressed patients who were prescribed an antidepressant drug by a primary care physician, 7297 patients who were prescribed an antidepressant by a psychiatrist, and 54,123 patients who were treated with psychotherapy. Medical claims were reviewed to assess the occurrence of suicide attempts, 90 days before and 180 days after beginning treatment. Overall incidence of suicide attempt was highest among patients receiving antidepressant prescriptions from psychiatrists (1,124 per 100,000), lower among those starting psychotherapy (778 per 100,000), and lowest among those receiving antidepressant prescriptions in primary care (301 per 100,000). However, in all three groups, the rate of suicide attempts was the highest in the pre-treatment period, followed by the 30-day period after starting treatment. Beyond 30 days, the likelihood of suicide attempts continued to decline. The findings showed that teenagers and young adults had the highest suicide attempt rates, but the trends related to treatment were the same as in other age groups. Thus, the findings cleared the controversy about treating young people with antidepressant drugs, and the suspicion that doing so may be linked to increased suicide rates. Starting any type of depression treatment, medication, psychotherapy or both, helps most people of any age have fewer symptoms of depression, including thinking about suicide and attempting it.