Study Shows Rise in Antidepressant Use Cuts Crime

By Merely Me Thursday, April 08, 2010

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Hey everybody

Does anyone subscribe to the magazine, "Psychology Today?" I actually don't but often pick it up when I see it at the book store. They had some really interesting tidbits of news in the April issue.

Of particular interest was that according to FBI reports crime rates around the country are actually going down. So this is good news. Do you have any clue as to why this may be happening?

I will wait here for your hypotheses.

Give up?

Some people say that the reason may be in part due to psychiatric medications. Yes indeed! Who are these people? Dave Marcotte of the University of Maryland and Sara Markowitz of Emory University who wrote a report entitled, "A Cure for Crime: Psychopharmaceuticals and Crime Trends." They hypothesize that many violent criminals suffer from severe mental illness and so medications to treat mental illness may prevent crimes from happening.

They say that in looking at a ten year period, the incidence of violent crimes dropped as psychopharmaceutical prescriptions increased.

One of the researchers even postulated that a ten percent increase in prescriptions for antidepressants and stimulants such as Ritalin would prevent approximately 10,000 violent crimes in the United States.

So maybe my son's neurologist had something when she said that maybe we would all be better off if Prozac was put into in the drinking water. :>)

What are your thoughts? Do you think this is too farfetched? A coincidental correlation? Or are antidepressants more beneficial to society than we realize?

Let us know what you think...we always love to hear form you.

Better Depression Treatment Please, Not More of the Same

Comments (16) | Add comment

anne1123

4/ 8/10 7:07pm

I am always suspicious of statistics which I feel can be too easily manipulated. But I think what really bothers me is the implication that Mental Illness and Crime are connected. I know this is probably not the intent of the study but it could be construed that way. It is bad enough that schizophrenics or other people with diagnosed problems get Media play when they do commit a violent crime. But are these incidents not in line with people who commit violence with no diagnosed disorders. Maybe I am reading this all wrong but it makes me uneasy.

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 8:11pm

Hi Anne...

Yeah I agree...one can draw that conclusion. Not all criminals are mentally ill. And likewise...most mentally ill people are not criminals although in some instances they are treated like criminals.

I am grateful for your comment...you make a good point.

Rosemarie

4/ 8/10 7:10pm

Hi Merely Me, I do from time to time buy those Mags if I see something of interest . I would like to think that the FBIs Figures [sadly crime is rising here with great aggession/Guns/as is cruelty to animals/Shootings] are due to the fact that aggressive behaviour, Depression,Anger etc., is being picked up due to a more enlightened and educated bunch of Teachers and counsellors in schools. I think treating kids at this stage, whether it be through Counselling/therapy Family intervention, and lastly Medication if needed is the greatest preventative of Sadism and Rape and anti-social behaviour in later life. I wouldnt like to see a chemically lobotomised USA with everyone walking around like Zombies, a very high price to pay for 'Law and Order' but I do see a definite link between early intervention in Depression and young men in their 20s. Most importantly it prevents Drug addiction [heroin crack etc] with resulting muggings and killings.

This is good news and I hope it spreads to my Country and other countries where crime has increased to frightening levels.

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 8:08pm

I wholeheartedly agree Rosemarie

Early intervention is the key in a lot of these cases...that someone listens instead of ignoring early warning signs. Maybe a lot of this is due to the fact that there is less stigma and more education about treatment...and this in turn prevents bad things from happening.

Thanks so much for sharing your insights here. You are always very wise in what you say.

Judy

4/ 8/10 7:19pm

This is actually kind of funny, when I think about it, after reading Mark Adams' article the other day about why airline pilots shouldn't be allowed to take antidepressants because they might go psycho and flip out! I wouldn't be surprised if they have helped reduce crime but again, a lot of these studies don't tell you all the criteria they used, the controls, the screening, etc., that went on when they selected their subjects. I used to work with statistics for a living, so that's why I get skeptical of these articles because I know different factors can influence the results. It's an interesting hypothesis, though. Thanks for sharing it.

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 8:02pm

Yeah I have no idea...you would have to read the original report...I gave a link.

By the time studies get filtered onto us in laymen's language...who knows what it means?

I got a B in stats in college. I was proud...man that was a hard class.

CJinLV

4/ 8/10 7:25pm

Hi M/M,

First off, I tend to be extremely suspisious of surveys, etc as the questions are usually orchestrated to achieve a particular viewpoint...simple "yes/no" isn't that simple.

NOW, Prozac, etc in the water? As wholly far-fetched as that concept would be, I am 100% against such thnking. With roughly 40% of our population on some form of mood/behavior-altering Rxs, we don't need to 'drug' the remaining 60%. Also, in some cases, if not prescribed OR TAKEN correctly, the patients become compliant & complacent.

The best way to reduce crime is through education, proper nutrition, accountability for good behavior and mst importantly to set a good example. Crime happens when people turn the other way & don't get involved in their community. Address the 'little things' & the more severe issues will seldom come to pass. In other words, don't be complacent!

Carl

Rosemarie

4/ 8/10 7:38pm

Hi all, Rosemarie back again, i guess Im the odd one out here in that Im a little niave when it come to statistics? I dont trust the pharmaceutical companies and alot of their trials are very 'iffy' but I did watch some very interesting programmes regarding psycopaths and murderers and people who had serial killed and there seemed sound neurological proof, that there WAS a genetic difference and a lack of some chromosomes or whatever, in the mind of the so called 'Evil' person, meaning a total lack of conscience.. I agree with what CJnLv is saying though. Its too easy to put in in a parcel and say its all mental illness. I wasnt saying [I hope my post didnt imply, that I think all offenders are mentally ill] I was talking about Society today, and what has become [for instance] of my once caring, loving, community orientated, spiritual country, its now full of hate and violence, Rape,Shootings, huge Drug gangs. I dont for one moment think thats down to Mental illness per se. I agree Society needs to change via education, Civic awareness, caring for others and compassion should be on the curriculum. But... there are a large proportion of offenders who do infact have pathological illness. Prozac in the water sounds abit like a lobotomy in a glass solution and is frightening.

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 7:50pm

Hey Rosemarie

Please don't worry at all...I don't think you made any bad implications at all.

It is a good question though...what makes someone violent or engage in criminal activities?

I think we are having a great discussion...thanks for contributing your thoughts to it.

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 7:59pm

Hey Carl!

I agree with you...I am not so sure about the conclusions of this study either.

But just to clarify...they never said to put prozac in the water supply. LOL I do apologize. I was just thinking...what next? in reaction to their findings...and I remembered something a doctor had said in jest.

I am in no way advocating putting prozac in the water supply. Chocolate maybe....

It has been a loooong stressful day for me. My dark sense of humor keeps me afloat.

So good to hear from you. How's life? You doing good?

CJinLV

4/ 9/10 12:09am

Hey M/M!!!

I'm doing great!

No, I never believed the whole "Prozac thing" however it did make for lively conversation! Me? I just liken such things to our school systems placing our kids on Ritalin, etc at the slightest show of non-conformity/compliance etc. It saddens me.

CJinLV

4/ 9/10 12:10am

BTW, has anyone noticed a new 'pop-up' window asking to share our posts in Facebook? WTH???????

Carl

Merely Me

4/10/10 8:06am

I have indeed Carl!

Any thoughts about the pop up? :>) I have my own thoughts but it is probably best if I keep them to myself.

One thing is...I am not sure how to turn off that pop up should one...want to do such a thing.

Donna-1

4/ 8/10 7:39pm

Maybe if we put Meridia in the water, obesity rates would drop.

Maybe if we put stimulants in the water, more people would exercise daily.

Maybe if everyone on the world were on self-correcting drugs (there are lots out there) everyone would be a model citizen in good health and even happy.

But would any of us be willing to give up self-as-we-know-it in order to conform, to be even-tempered all the time, to give up that evening cocktail and go for a jog instead or reach for a whole wheat cracker instead of chocolate mousse?

Donna

Merely Me

4/ 8/10 7:46pm

LOL

In answer to your question...Oh hell no.

I probably should apologize for being flippant with my statment about prozac in the water...but actually the doc did say that...while smiling.

No...I don't think it would be a good idea. But it seemed to be the conclusion of the researchers in a way...if we just increase the use of antidepressants then...we reduce crime.

Call me skeptical but...I don't know about that.

Thanks for your comment Donna and where is that chocolate mousse?