Alyssa Bustamante, herself only 15-years-old when the crime was committed, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a 9-year-old girl near Jefferson City. Part of her defense was presented by a psychiatrist who testified that the antidepressant medication, Prozac, may have been a contributing factor in the murder. Bustamante has a history of depression, a suicide attempt and over 300 self-inflicted cuts on her body. Her father is in prison and her mother, who has a history of drug abuse, had abandoned her. Bustamante’s Prozac dosage had been increased two weeks prior to the murder.
Defense witness, Dr. Edwin Johnstone, stated that adolescents who use Prozac are at an increased risk for suicide and violent behavior. Studies show that pediatric patients being treated with antidepressants may experience suicidal ideation and unusual changes in behavior. One study suggests that Prozac in particular “may be associated with induction of violence and/or suicidal ideation.”
Another study states that caution should be used with Prozac when treating patients who have a history of impulsive behaviors such as self-cutting. Side effects listed for Prozac include: hostility or aggressiveness, engaging in unusual or dangerous activities and other unusual changes in behavior.
An article published by Anne C. Mulkern of the Denver Post states that there has been evidence dating back to the 1980’s that Prozac may cause homicidal and suicidal behavior. The article sites FDA Dr. Richard Kapit as saying that Prozac causes “bizarre homicidal and suicidal behavior” and that federal regulators knew in 1986 that “some people taking Prozac hanged or shot themselves, attempted suicide, or fantasized about murder.”
These studies highlight the fact that adolescents who suffer from depression should not be treated with antidepressants unless they are closely monitored. Recent studies also suggest that group and/or individual therapy used instead of or in addition to antidepressant treatment may be more effective. In a study by Judy Garber of Vanderbilt University, which focused on high-risk teens whose parents had a history of depression, half of a group of teens attended eight weekly group therapy sessions. After nine months these teens were less likely to experience symptoms of depression than the ones who did not receive therapy. The results suggest that combining antidepressant treatment with talk therapy may help alleviate some of the potentially harmful behaviors that may be associated with antidepressant use. Research has found that more teenagers with major depression got relief and were effectively treated for their condition with a combination of Prozac and cognitive behavioral therapy than with antidepressants, psychotherapy, or placebo alone. An increase in harm-related adverse events associated with antidepressant use may be tempered by behavioral therapy.
It is too late to undo the harm done by Alyssa Bustamante. Yet, this tragedy can provide much needed information to parents and caregivers of adolescents suffering from depression. We cannot put these teens on medication and then assume everything is alright. They need therapy, close monitoring and the constant care of someone they trust and can confide in.
Comments