Antidepressants Could Make Your Brain Bleed, Cause Hemorrhagic StrokesLisa Garber SSRIs include a wide variety of common antidepressents, including Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Paxil. These drugs are also linked to an increased risk of stomach bleeding. Platelets Cant Clot, Hemorrhage After analyzing 16 previous studies involving over 500,000 patients, researchers determined that SSRI users were 40 to 50 percent more likely to suffer bleeding of or around the brain. The researchers were not, however, able to collect other relevant data, like subjects smoking and drinking habits, diet, and whether they had diabetes. Their findings were published in the journal Neurology. Although lead researcher Dr. Daniel G. Hackam of Western University in London, Ontario says that we cant infer cause and effect from this, it isnt exactly an unreasonable association. Blood cells (platelets) have difficulty clumping and clotting in the presence of SSRIs, causing the patients platelet function to stumble soon after taking SSRIs. This may be why patients experienced the greatest risk of hemorrhage within the first few months of taking the drugs. Its worth noting that Hackam also says that these drugs are, overall, quite safe. Perhaps hes neglected to look at the Emory University School of Medicines findings that antidepressants thickened arteries 400 percent more than aging, which is the foremost factor of athersclerosis. Still other studies indicate that Cymbalta and other antidepressants cause 1 in 5 patients to feel worse than when administered placebos. Why, then, are so many patients treated with powerful psychotactive drugs instead of a personalized combination of vitamin D, probiotis, diet, acupuncture, yoga, and other natural remedies? Perhaps because 70 percent of panel members to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. Additional sources: Explore More: 