Archived News of the Week

Psychotropic Drugs and Mass Murderers

Quiz: Who are John Shick, Scott DeKraai, Troy Bellar, Steven Kazmierczak, Doug Williams, Michael McDermott, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold and James Holmes? Answer: They are all mass murderers. And they were all on FDA approved drugs for depression. I am horrified as I read the statistics about killings such as Columbine and Aurora and how they are so intimately connected with psychotropic drugs like antidepressants.

But you never hear about the pharmaceutical angle, because most if not all media is bought by interests who are supportive of the powerful and moneyed Big Pharma and Oil (one and the same). The only angle you will hear from the media is from the perspective of guns and how bad they are and how we should do something about our gun laws, when the real "smoking guns" are the pharmaceuticals these killers were taking. Guns don't kill people; People (who are turned into changelings through Big Pharma meds) kill people. Especially when they can buy, legally and looking crazy as a loon, a 1,000 rounds of ammo on line for their AK 47 which they picked up at their local gun store. Now, that's a big bowl of wrong and should be looked at.

John Schick: In March of 2012, he killed 1 and injured 6 in Pittsburg. They found 9 antidepressants in his house.

Scott DeKraai: In October of 2011, he killed his wife and injured 7 others in Seal Beach, Cal. He was taking Topamax.

Troy Bellar: In April of 2010, he killed his wife and 2 of his 3 children in Lakeland Fla. He was taking Tegretol for Bipolar Disorder.

Steven Kazmierczak: In Feb. of 2008 he killed 5 and injured 21 others in DeKalb, Ill. He was on Prozac, Xanax and Ambien.

Doug Williams: In July of 2003 he killed 5 and injured 9 others at the Lockheed Martin plant he worked in in Florida. He was on Zoloft and Celexa.

It is thought that both the Columbine killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were on antidepressants. It is known that Harris was on Luvox, but Klebold's records remain sealed.

James Holmes of the Aurora Massacre was on high doses of Vicodin which can cause hallucinations, paranoia and euphoria. At this writing, he killed 12 and injured 58. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Off the point a bit, but it's intriguing to me, why are all these mass murderers male? (Except for the infamous Aileen Wuornos who killed 7 men) These men are generally white, middle class, educated men who are depressed. When the hyper-privileged male is frustrated and depressed due to loss of job, no friends, lost girlfriend or wife etc. and encounters a trigger for his aggression turned inward (otherwise known as depression) watch out. These men are more apt to erupt and act out their rage and indignation with a gun, a powerful substitute for that disempowered part of their body that makes them male.

Although each man has/had a unique pathology to be sure, I imagine it has something to do with the perfect storm of several emotional systems coming together in the white, middle class, educated male: Number one, there is the male's hormonal proclivity to aggression, then societally, the expectations and entitlements they are brought up with, and emotionally, the Code of Masculinity (big boys don't cry). And finally, there is the all important trigger (drug) which may lead to the other trigger (the gun) and so begins the massacre.

At least 13 of the most recent school shootings, including Columbine, have been committed by those taking or withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. Linked to FDA sanctioned drugs, there have been 109 wounded and 58 killed since 1998. Teens, with their fragile brains still forming are especially vulnerable to psychotropics.

Furthermore, there have been very few studies done on polypharmacy. The FDA (what a joke) has given the green light to single drugs like Effexor and Prozac and Celexa, but have not tested the action of these drugs when taken together. The FDA gets all huffy about golden seal, yet they think it's just fine to put people on 4 different antidepressants. I have seen juniors in high school on 2 or 3 drugs for a combination of OCD, ADHD and depression. This scares me. What are these kids going to be like as adults? There have already been studies which show that kids on ADHD drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are much more likely to get into street drugs because the Adderall and the Ritalin land on the same receptors as meth and crack and cocaine.

Look, folks, if you are feeling depressed for a week or so, don't run right to your friendly GP with your hand out for the latest anti-depressant. They can be very dangerous. Not for everyone, but some of us. And, they can be lifesavers for others. But there are many natural products which can help. Try them first and give it a good month. You will also have to make a radical change in diet - like, first and foremost, lose the sugar and bad carbs. Did you know that schizophrenics love sugar? Then you need to increase your happy molecules by turning off the T.V. and buying some good walking shoes. Yes, you will have to give up the Cheez-its and move your butt off the couch, but exercise and a good healthy diet is KEY in ridding yourself of anxiety and depression. (I am not talking about serious clinical depression with suicidal ideation, but just the whiny garden variety type of depression.)

No statement or content in this web site shall be construed as offering diagnosis, cure, mitigation or prevention of any disease. Anyone having questions regarding the content of this site should contact their own health care provider for verification.