Speeding police car
Speeding police car

Study explores association between SSRI use and violent crime


SSRIs are widely prescribed, but inconclusive evidence links SSRI use with violent behaviour. In this study, Fazel and colleagues compared the rate of violent crime while individuals were prescribed SSRIs with the rate of violent crime in the same individuals while not receiving medication, using matched data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Swedish national crime register.


In age-stratified analysis, associations between SSRI use and convictions for violent crimes were significant for individuals aged 15 to 24 years (HR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.19–1.73, p < 0.001, absolute risk = 3.0%) but not for older individuals (e.g., age 25–34 (HR = 1.20, 95% CI 0.95–1.52, p = 0.125, absolute risk = 1.6%)). Increased risks were also found in individuals aged 15-24 years for violent arrests, non-violent convictions and arrests, non-fatal accidental injuries and emergency contacts for alcohol problems.


However, clinicians must weigh the SSRI-associated increase in violent crime against SSRI-associated reduction of disability, hospitalization, and suicide. The authors state, “From a public health perspective, this worsening of overall morbidity and mortality might argue against restrictions on the primary care prescribing of SSRIs as long as potential risks are disclosed.”

Molero Y, Lichtenstein P, Zetterqvist J, Gumpert CH, Fazel S (2015) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Violent Crime: A Cohort Study PLoS Med 12(9): e1001875. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001875