People want answers so badly they'll state fears as facts in an effort to protect themselves from the worse agony of possible blame and the unknown.
Anti-anxiety meds, antidepressants and all manner of drugs CAN increase suicidality but it's often by a route that people don't take into account. Something that might be perfectly benign in 99 people will have a bizarre effect on 1. Plus, there are combined drug effects and when someone does that the efficacy of the med is impacted in all manner of ways. Plus, with things like antidepressants for someone who's profoundly depressed, there's a scary period where they're feeling well enough not to be paralyzed but not to have hope. Careful monitoring is important and not everyone has that.
I'm not a big drug fan on the whole, but they're extremely helpful for many and I wouldn't by any means say they shouldn't be used. I do think people, particularly those whose functioning is important to a lot of others, can be overmedicated to keep them going when what they desperately need (and don't necessarily think so themselves) is rest, therapy and someone who will treat them, meds or therapy or whatever, with enough actual involvement to work with the nuances of their particular neurochemical and thought processes. Psychotropic drugs are, unfortunately, in the "throw it at the wall and see what sticks" category because as medical issues go there's no THERE there, no tumor, no blood test, nothing but the patient's reported experience. And the reporter is what's impaired.
Long-winded I know, but I feel so bad for his family. I've known these questions many, many times and when someone is gone there are just no real answers. I hope that something gives them some peace. His loss is a terrible thing. Lots of people here in Seattle knew him throughout his rise and the heartbreak is real and awful.
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