Correlation does not imply causation.
More people who are depressed commit suicide than those who are not.
Also, more people who are dressed will be on anti-depressants than those who are not depressed.
I think the root cause for most suicides of the depressed is the fact they have depression, not what anti-depressants they are taken that might have failed to cure them. In many cases, some medicines only temper the symptoms, and that is all medical science can currently do for them. Cures are another matter completely.
I would suggest (without empirical data) that going off anti-depressants will make you suicidal. I know, I’ve gone off them. Getting those damned things are a bitch to wean off.
Good point. The people who (ideally) are prescribed these medications are already to the point of clinical depression, which is not the same as simply feeling down about things. If you are having suicidal thoughts, there’s a pretty good chance your doctor will prescribe an antidepressant. If you go through with killing yourself, it’s a bit difficult to blame the drug. The drugs can help, they are certainly over-prescribed, they do have side-effects, and they are not a panacea. That said, they do help a lot of people get back on track.