Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers have been linked to reductions in violent crime, according to newly published research in The Lancet. The study examined data from the Swedish national registries of 82,647 patients who were prescribed an antipsychotic or mood stabilizing medication and were subsequently convicted of violent crime between 2006–2009. Violent crime declined by 45% when patients were taking antipsychotics and 24% for those taking mood stabilizers, but only in patients taking mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder. The authors advise that in developing a treatment plan for these patients, the potential effect on violent crime should also be considered.
Treating psychiatric illnesses with antipsychotic drugs can greatly reduce the risk that a patient will commit a violent crime, researchers reported on Thursday. “We noted substantially lower rates of violent crime when any of the three classes of medication had been prescribed, specifically for …
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