[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I read about this earlier, exasperated but unsurprised that "violent games" are getting the blame once again in the rags. "Dark Souls" of all things... a high-fantasy game. Perhaps he mistook her for a dragon?

Anyway - of course it's glossed over that he was on or had been on anti-depressants, most likely SSRIs, and that SSRIs have the potential side effect of mania, psychosis and violent psychotic episodes. Relatively rare, but well documented and very real. Do you think we'll see that pointed out in the mainstream media? No, of course not. Not good for business.

Sigh.

Stop pumping kids full of barely understood, brain-altering chemicals and maybe we'll see fewer of these incidents. Whichever quack prescribed powerful mind-altering drugs to a hormonal teenage boy should be struck off. But then again - so many doctors do it - we'd probably have none left. IMO, these drugs need to be taken OUT of the hands of GPs and should only be available for prescription by doctors with full qualifications in psychiatry and neuropsychology. I have absolutely no doubt that this has played a role in what was clearly some sort of psychotic break.

...hmmm, I'm not necessarily disagreeing about the medication but then if it's prescribed too often to young people but it's not often that someone does this type thing, then does that really contribute either as so many people take it... he was obviously not mentally healthy and could have always been that way and no matter whether he had taken medication or not...