A decade ago, everyone was worried about all our kids being on antidepressants. What about the side effects. So the FDA put big warnings on antidepressants about possible increased suicide risks for young people. How did that turn out?

Astoundingly poorly, according to a new study from the British Medical Journal. From the BBC:

The study, which followed 2.5 million teenagers and young adults between 2000 and 2010, showed an immediate impact of the warnings. Prescriptions fell by a third in teenagers and by a quarter in young adults. The number of suicide attempts increased by 22% in teenagers and 34% in young adults.

Media-aided public panic over murky drug issues; government regulators react; doctors react; prescriptions decline; then suicide attempts go up.

Well I guess we all pretty much fucked up that one, guys. In retrospect perhaps "get off antidepressants" was not the best advice for suicidal teens.

[Photo: Getty]