By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    How Not to Become a Victim of Medical Scams
    How Not to Become a Victim of Medical Scams
    December 22, 2021
    11 Ways You Can Care for Your Elder Family Members Health
    11 Ways You Can Care for Your Elder Family Members Health
    April 6, 2022
    How Can Brain Injury Lead To Dangerous Long-Term Effects?
    How Can Brain Injury Lead To Dangerous Long-Term Effects?
    August 30, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5 Reasons Big Data Adoption is Slow in Healthcare
    February 5, 2021
    Great Moments in the History of Patient Power
    June 29, 2011
    Money, Medicine and Ethics
    January 9, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: If the Wife Takes an Antidepressant, is the Husband Protected From Suicide?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > News > If the Wife Takes an Antidepressant, is the Husband Protected From Suicide?
NewsSpecialties

If the Wife Takes an Antidepressant, is the Husband Protected From Suicide?

Rhona Finkel
Rhona Finkel
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

About one in every 10 Americans takes an antidepressant these days.

It’s a hip thing to do. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention Data Brief, “Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over: United States, 2005–2008,” shares some interesting statistics about how usage has grown, and who’s leading the charge. For example,

About one in every 10 Americans takes an antidepressant these days.

It’s a hip thing to do. A Center for Disease Control and Prevention Data Brief, “Antidepressant Use in Persons Aged 12 and Over: United States, 2005–2008,” shares some interesting statistics about how usage has grown, and who’s leading the charge. For example,

More Read

How To Manage Your Fear Of Going To The Dentist
Why Cancer Patients MUST Go the Extra Mile
Symptoms of Serotonin Imbalances You Need to Know
The Importance of Professional Webhosts for Healthcare Providers
Unnecessary Health Care Expenditures
  • Antidepressants were the third most common prescription drug taken by Americans of all ages in 2005–2008 and the most frequently used by persons aged 18–44 years.
  • From 1988–1994 through 2005–2008, the rate of antidepressant use in the United States among all ages increased nearly 400%. AND
  • Women are 2½ times more likely to be taking an antidepressant than men.

Perhaps it’s not unrelated, then, given that depression is the major risk factor for taking one’s one life, that suicide rates have been decreasing in this country since 1985. In fact, from 1985-2004, the suicide rate dropped 13%, with declines among both genders, both more declines among men.

The discrepancy is similar among a variety of cultures and places. For example, in Finland, the number of suicides in 2007 declined by one-third from 1990, and the suicide rate among males was dropping so rapidly that the number of male suicides dropped in 2002 to a level not seen since the 1960s. Those years saw a simultaneous increase in antidepressant usage.

Suicide rates in Finland. See the numbers start to decline with the advent of the new antidepressants.

A Finnish study points out what seems to be painfully obvious:

“the increased use of [antidepressants] and especially of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) is associated with decreased rate of suicides.”

However, point out Raimo K. R. Salokangas, MD, PhD, Msc, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Turku in FInland,, and lead author on the article “Increased Use of Antidepressants in Women Decreases Suicides in Men: An Ecological Study,” the suicide rate declined more in men than in women, while the rates of antidepressant-prescriptions grew faster among women than men.

The authors asked, in short, What gives?

So, using nationwide data on completed suicides and antidepressant prescriptions between 1994-2001, the authors determined that, in fact, “antidepressant prescriptions in women significantly explained suicide rate in men.”

Yes, they factored in men’s use of antidepressants, as well, and, sure enough, even with variable removed, the findings still stood.

They conclude that:

“It is possible that increased use of antidepressants in women, in addition to decreasing their own depressiveness and anxiety, also leads to decreased depressiveness in their close social networks, thereby decreasing stress and suicidality in men belonging to this network.”

It’s quite an interesting finding, since it lends itself to a belief that depression is contagious in a way, something that has been backed up by previous research.

For example, Howes et al (1995) found that roommates of persistently depressed people scored more highly on depressive scales over the course of their study. And Abela (2009) found that in negatively attached children, when their parents’ depressive symptoms increased, so did theirs.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to help a depressed man in your life. . .is start taking the pills you wish he’d take, yourself.

REFERENCES

Haukka J et al. Antidepressant use and mortality in Finland: a register-linkage study from a nationwide cohort. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2009; 65:715-720.

Salokangas RKR. Increased Use of Antidepressants in Women Decreases Suicides in Men: An Ecological Study. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders.

Filed under: Candida Abrahamson PhD

TAGGED:anti-depressantsdepressionpharmaceuticals
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

healthcare providers
Hidden Injuries After An Accident: What Healthcare Providers Should Watch For
Infographics
July 15, 2025
pediatric healthcare spaces
Designing Calm: How Pediatric Healthcare Spaces Reduce Anxiety Through Thoughtful Design
Infographics
July 15, 2025
EHR
The Hidden Costs Of The ER: What You’re Really Paying For
Infographics
July 15, 2025
9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025

You Might also Like

Clinical Collaboration: The Evolution of the VNA

December 13, 2014

There’s a MERS Patient in Your Hospital: Now What?

May 21, 2014

Hospitals Can Be Dangerous

February 25, 2012
aspirin cancer connection
Public HealthSpecialtiesWellness

Can Aspirin Protect Against Cancer?

September 10, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?