heads up, so much heart ache that could be avoided

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Two weeks ago my abnormal psych prof taught about a side effect of some psycoactive meds - over the top and unexpected violence.

If it is going to happen, it will happen soon after starting the med - within days or weeks and there will be signs of it coming in plenty of time to ease off the med and avoid incidents.

Today, I saw a news report of way, way over the top and unexpected violence (as in out of character, not unexpected in the sense that he'd been demonstrating increasingly severe symptoms) by a mental health patient who just started a new med or two. The ones listed in the article aren't among the few meds we've learned about by name but the pattern fits like a glove.

Usually, the media doesn't report this connection - probably because they don't know about it until much later if ever. If you or any of your friends or family or pts start a new psychoactive med, please be aware of this.

Another thing we learned in the class is that many of these meds are prescribed by people who either don't know this or don't take it seriously... perhaps because the connection is so often missed.

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To clarify - I am a student who read the newspaper and remembered the lessons from class - nothing more. Whatever the facts of the particular case I just read about - sometimes this side effect happens, people know about the possibility and watch for it and it is caught and addressed before anything tragic occurs.

Even though it doesn't happen often, it seems wise to be aware of it, especially with all the increases in the use of psychoactive meds.

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I've been working in psychiatry, as a psychiatric staff nurse for ~10 years, and as a psych CNS for ~18 years, and I've never heard of this. I just did a quick Google search for violence as a side effect of psychotropic meds, and the only links that talked about this were all from one single organization that is known as a kind of "fringe" group (CCHR) that is strongly opposed to most (if not all) psychiatric medications. I wonder if your professor is a member or fan of this organization. Sometimes instructors talk in class about things that aren't necessarily the accepted, mainstream version of a particular topic, but is rather a "pet" issue of the instructor's, and students typically aren't in a good position to tell the difference (I know that the instructor of my abnormal psych course many years ago said quite a few "suspicious" things in class, which I knew from my experience in psychiatric nursing were not accurate or true, but, rather, his own personal opinions -- but most of the other students in the class had no way to evaluate what he was telling us).

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Sigh, it didn't occur to me to look it up on my own. I will do so.

I don't know if the prof is a member or fan of that organization. He says fairly often that he is not anti-drug for psychological symptoms/conditions but that he is concerned that so many are prescribed by family doctors who don't have much training in their use... at least compared to psychiatrists. And that he has a great interest in neuro-something aspects of psychology.

And he does teach at a very mainstream, well regarded accredited university - which I know doesn't necessarily mean much.

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Thank you for your kind response, elkpark

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I thought it had become fairly accepted that certain psychoactive meds can cause violent urges in patients, especially young adults? I know there has been quite a push to monitor patients on antidepressants and stimulants and to urge them to report any sort of violent idealization a to their physician. I'm also pretty sure Zoloft commercials actually mention it as a potential adverse effect. Pts may not be too keen to tell someone they've been thinking about smothering their children, though, so it's a bit of a tricky situation.

We actually got a great deal on a house in sad circumstances. The husband of the previous owner was placed on antidepressants for anxiety and shot himself a month later. After reading his journal and note and all that other investigative stuff, it was determined that it was probably an effect of the drugs. A normally passive, nonviolent guy started scaring himself with his thoughts and ideations and ended the problem the only way he knew how.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

The danger is when they come off their meds, miss doses or mix them with other drugs and/or ETOH.. The effects you speak about with anti-depressants is when the person now has the energy to commit suicide and yes, they do need to be watched close. Not all depressed people are suicidal or think about it, those that do are the ones that need to be watched.

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he is concerned that so many are prescribed by family doctors who don't have much training in their use... at least compared to psychiatrists.

Now, this I v. much agree with. I've been saying for years (decades, actually, at this point) that if we, the psychiatric community, were trying to treat people's diabetes, gout, COPD, what have you, the rest of the medical community would be after us in an angry mob with torches and pitchforks -- but every family practice doc thinks s/he is competent to treat psychiatric disorders ... :rolleyes:

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I thought it had become fairly accepted that certain psychoactive meds can cause violent urges in patients, especially young adults? I know there has been quite a push to monitor patients on antidepressants and stimulants and to urge them to report any sort of violent idealization a to their physician. I'm also pretty sure Zoloft commercials actually mention it as a potential adverse effect. Pts may not be too keen to tell someone they've been thinking about smothering their children, though, so it's a bit of a tricky situation.

We actually got a great deal on a house in sad circumstances. The husband of the previous owner was placed on antidepressants for anxiety and shot himself a month later. After reading his journal and note and all that other investigative stuff, it was determined that it was probably an effect of the drugs. A normally passive, nonviolent guy started scaring himself with his thoughts and ideations and ended the problem the only way he knew how.

The black box warning on several newer antidepressants, inc. Zoloft, is about the possibility of kids and young adults experiencing suicidal impulses, not becoming generally violent (like, towards others).

I must say, as an aside, that I never cease to be entertained by the irony of antidepressants that make you suicidal ... :)

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Specializes in Home Care.

Early this year I was quite anxious and depressed, my doctor decided to try me on Celexa. Within 5 days I was feeling suicidal...I'm not a kid, I'm 50. I had to seek emergency help. Then I was put on Effexor XR and wound up in the ER. Those 2 drugs made me feel way worse than what I was dealing with my anxiety and depression.

The cure for my depression and anxiety was quitting my job :cool:

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"The cure for my depression and anxiety was quitting my job :cool: "

I had a job like that too.

As for the rest of it, I have lots and lots to say on the subject but I keep writing and erasing.... it is probably better not to say much here. I am looking forward to what the prof has to say about exercising, though. He is going to cover that in a later section, so far he's just said if there was a pill that could make the neurological/psychological changes that exercise does (with the same lack of paradoxical reactions and/or adverse side effects) it would put much of the psychology world out of business (or something similarily broad and sweeping). Even without all the beneficial side effects it has.

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