Are we missing the obvious? The hidden link between psychiatric drugs and rising violence

Violence that once shocked us now barely interrupts the news cycle.

Mass shootings, suicides, and  seemingly random acts of brutality have become grimly familiar in the United States—and this trend  is now increasing across the world.

Over the past two decades, 16 of the world’s 20 deadliest mass shootings have taken place. [1]

In the United States alone, the frequency of mass shootings tripled between 2009 and 2013. [2]  The trend has only intensified—by 2020, incidents had surged by 47%, [3] and by 2023, the nation  was facing the grim reality of an average of two mass murders every single day. [4]

Furthermore, in 2024 alone, more teachers and students were killed in US school shootings than  there were school days in the year. [5]

You could argue that violence has always been part of the American story, dating back to the pioneer  era; however, we live in a far more secure, peace-oriented society and are largely insulated from  such behaviour.

Sadly, it appears that New Zealand is not bucking the trend of a global increase in violence.

In 2003, the New Zealand Listener wrote an article – The Angry Society. [6]

Although this article was written more than two decades ago, it raised a question that remains just as  relevant if not more so today: why, as a society, are we becoming increasingly intolerant of one  another?

Two years earlier the Listener has published an article – The Long Black Cloud. The article reported  that New Zealanders were swallowing more antidepressants than ever and it raised the question – Are we really depressed – or are we over-reacting to simple sadness and the everyday blues? [7]

Revisiting the 2003 article it cited: growing expressions of irritability and anger were being observed,  with the media reporting frequent incidents of road rage, queue rage, trolley rage, sports sideline  rage, and even pavement rage. Various factors were cited as contributing to this rise in aggression,  including rapid population growth in major New Zealand cities and a doubling of traffic volumes,  which in turn fuelled frustrations such as road rage.

Fast Forward to 2010 and in another Listener article – Panic Stations – it was reported that New Zealand had the second highest reported rates of anxiety in the world. [8]

Why is this happening?

The usual explanations in an increase in violence point to gun access, social media, violent  entertainment, or political polarization. While each may play a role, critics argue that society is  avoiding a more uncomfortable possibility—one hiding in plain sight.

A Pharmaceutical Era of Violence?

According to U.S. psychologist Linda Lagemann, the dramatic rise in violence coincides with an  equally dramatic rise in the prescription of psychiatric medications. In 2024–2025, approximately 250 million prescriptions for psychiatric drugs were written in the United States alone. [9]

New Zealand has also seen a significant increase in the number of prescriptions of antidepressants in  recent years.

In the year to June 30, 2013, exactly 427,900 people were prescribed antidepressants in New Zealand. This data was recorded by Pharma and reflected a 20% increase in patient prescription  numbers compared to 2008

In the data released by Pharmac in 2023 there were 2,297,171 prescriptions and increase of 33 per- cent from the total prescribed – 1,721,436 in 2016. Furthermore, the agency reported that  the number of patients prescribed antidepressants had increased steadily form 535,480 (2019)  – 604,261 patients recorded in 2022. [10]

What is most concerning about the Pharmac data on psychiatric medications relates to children and adolescents

In their reporting of antidepressant prescribing to children and adolescents in the decade 2011-2021  there was a 205 per cent increase in antidepressants prescribed to children 5-14 years (6225 – 19,015), a 146 per cent increase in adolescents 15-24 years (88,401-218,312) and in antipsychotic  prescribing there was an increase of 140 per cent  in children  5-14 years (4116-9917) and a 143 per  cent increase in adolescents 15-24 years (33,818-82,471). [11]

Based on data from the New Zealand Ministry of Health (MOH), Health New Zealand (Te Whatu  Ora), and Health Quality & Safety Commission (HQSC) reports up to 2024–2025, psychotropic  medication usage showed a concerning rise in youth prescriptions.

In 2023 nearly 1 in 8 young people aged between 12-25 years were dispensed a psychotropic drug   and according to the Mental Health and Wellness Commission it was reported that the MoH Epic  Data Base was unable to ascertain how much medication was being prescribed appropriately and  whether the right medicine was being prescribed at the right time. [12]

So what does this data tell us?

Supporters argue that the increase in numbers of people being diagnosed and prescribed medication   for ailments such as anxiety and depression reflects better access to “mental health” care. Critics  counter that it reflects something more troubling: mass medicalisation of distress, often without  long-term evidence of safety.

A question that needs to be asked is – Why do we have endless debates over screen time but almost  none about turning kids into lifelong customers of the pharmaceutical industry?

Warnings Hidden in Plain Sight

For well over a decade now every psychiatric medication carries a package insert warning of  potential adverse effects. Among the adverse reactions listed are: (this is a summary not the full list).

• Aggression
• Agitation
• Hostility
• Anxiety
• Delusional thinking
• Nightmares
• Severe emotional distress
• Suicidal Ideation

These adverse reactions should be regarded as a red flag, warranting extreme caution when  prescribing these medications

While psychotropic medication such as antidepressants have been linked to outcomes such as mania,  hostility, aggression, and homicidal ideation, the extent to which these drugs may contribute to acts  of senseless violence is still not well understood. This gap in understanding highlights the importance  of examining existing studies that explore associations between psychiatric medications and violent  behaviour.

Clinical Studies that Associate Antidepressants to Acts of Violence

A US study 2010 study – Prescription Drugs Associated with Acts of Violence in Others – examined  data collected between 2004 and 2009. The research found that 1,527 cases of violence were  disproportionately associated with 31 drugs. The primary suspect medications included 11  antidepressants, 6 sedative–hypnotics, and 3 drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity  disorder. Reported violent outcomes included. 387 reports of homicide, 404 physical assaults, 27  cases indicating physical abuse, 896 homicidal ideation reports, and 223 cases described as violence- related symptoms. The patients were 41% female and 59% male with a mean age of 36 years.

Nearly all antidepressants were linked to reports of violence, with the exception of two tricyclics,  trazodone and amitriptyline. The researchers concluded that their findings provided new evidence  that violent acts toward others constitutes genuine and serious adverse drug events, associated with  a relatively small group of medications. In reviewing this study three of the six most common SSRIs  given to children, adolescents and young people ranked 2nd (Venlafaxine – 85 cases), 3rd  (Fluoxetine – 72 cases) and 4th (Sertraline – 64 cases) in the incidences of violence reported. [13]

A 2015 Swedish study examined the association between SSRIs and violence in the general  population. The study using national registry data examined the incidence of violence among  individuals (aged 15 -60) prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) between 2006 – 2013. The findings showed that 11,225 individuals—both adolescents and adults taking SSRIs out of  856,493 individuals (1.3%) —were convicted of violent crimes, including murder, manslaughter,  arson, and kidnapping. compared to 40,384 out of 7.1 million individuals (0.6%) who were not on  SSRIs.  Rates of violent crime were highest in the youngest age group receiving medication, with 3.3%  of SSRI users aged 15–24 years convicted of a violent offence. [14]

A recent 2024 study reports that antidepressant prescribing for children in the United States has  risen substantially since the mid-1990s. Notably, prescriptions for selective serotonin reuptake  inhibitors (SSRIs)—including citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac),  paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), sertraline (Zoloft), and vilazodone (Viibryd)—among children aged five  years and younger have increased by a factor of ten.

Researchers noted that before the 1980s and 1990s, incidents of seemingly senseless violence— particularly mass school shootings—were relatively rare. Although each event has occurred under  unique circumstances, a recurring factor often identified is that the perpetrators had a history of  mental health challenges and, in many cases, exposure to psychotropic medications.

While there is much to be learnt about the relationship between SSRIs and violence – the study cites  a website  run by the International Coalition for Drug Awareness in cooperation with the Prozac  Survivors Support Group that has more than 1,600 violent incidents associated with SSRI use  including more than 360 suicides as well as more than 400 murder incidents, including multiple  murders all connected with SSRI use. [15]

The three studies outlined, span a 15-year period during which rising levels of violence appear to  have permeated many aspects of daily life. Before examining specific incidents of violence, it is  important to reflect on the observations of global experts regarding the influence of the chemical  imbalance theory and how it has shaped contemporary “mental health” practice.

In 2011, Ronald Pies, Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of the US Psychiatric Times stated in a 2011 blog.

“In truth, the ‘chemical imbalance’ notion was always a kind of urban legend – never a theory  seriously pronounced by well-informed psychiatrists.”  [16]

In the same year, Thomas Insel –Director of the US National Institute of Mental Health – was  quoted as saying –

“Whatever we’ve been doing for the past five decades, it isn’t working …. When I look at the  numbers – the numbers of suicides, the numbers of disabilities, the mortality data – its abysmal and  it’s not getting any better,” [17]

On a 20/11/2019, the BBC radio programme The Inquiry, investigated the subject – What can we do  about the world’s mental health problem?”  In the podcast, Vikram Patel (Harvard Psychiatrist and   Co-Founder, London Global Centre of Mental Health stated –

“The honest truth right now is that we don’t have a clear way of being able to way to distinguish  those individuals who have a mental health problem from those that are otherwise well”

In a media interview on Radio NZ  19/9/23, the Chair of the Royal Australia and New Zealand  College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), Dr Hiran Thabrew stated –

“The mental health system is broken and is making patients sicker than they were before. 40% of the  workforce is overworked and 30% are about to retire and there is a constant feeling that services are  failing.”

The Increase in Violence in New Zealand

Today, violence is no longer associated solely with hardened criminals. Increasingly, it involves  “ordinary” people—the neighbour, the co-worker, the student. This unpredictability is what makes it  so frightening.

The following data highlights the increase in violence from schools to streets in recent times.

Data on Youth Violence

Statistics released by the Ministry of Justice in 2024 showed  a worrying trend: a 26% rise in serious  and persistent youth offending nationwide. The data revealed that 2022/2023 year saw the highest  number of such offenders (877 – aged 14–17) since 2016/2017, a stark reminder that youth violence  is far from declining. Even more alarmingly, there was also a 4% increase in serious and persistent  offending among 10–13-year-olds. [18]

 Why Is School Violence Escalating?

Out of 36 countries in an OECD report in 2025, New Zealand has the second highest rate of school  bullying and the highest rate of suicide. amongst young people. The statistic on school bullying has  rarely altered over the past decade with both the PISA (Programme for International Student  Assessment) and UNICEF being highly critical on this matter. [19]

Thousands of School Students Physically Restrained as Student Assaults  Hit a New High

In June 2026,  it was reported that since guidelines were introduced in 2023, school staff have  physically restrained students more than 9000 (9378) times – an average of 15 incidents per day. The  Ministry of Education released these figures through a Official Information Act request. [20]

Furthermore . assaults between school students  have hit a record high with school principals  reporting that that schools are dealing with more serious behaviour. While school stand-downs,  suspensions and expulsions have dropped in recent years. physical assaults in schools have increased   by over a 130% from 4966 cases in 2000 to 11,400 cases in 2025. [21]

A Family Tragedy and Mental Health Failures

In a tragic case reported in 2025, a mother who had been struggling with her mental health  following her husband’s death from cancer poisoned her two children, aged six and eight, with a  fatal overdose of antidepressants in 2017 before attempting to end her own life. She survived and  was later charged. At a hearing in May 2022, her solicitor argued that she was not guilty of murder  by reason of insanity. The woman had been under psychiatric care for several years before the  incident. [22]

Discharge, Diagnosis Changes, and a Preventable Death

In another troubling “mental health” incident in December 2021, a young woman was released from  an acute mental health unit in Palmerton North less than a week after attempting suicide. Her  diagnosis and medication were changed just before discharge; the next day she died by suicide.  (There had previously been concerns about the unit after a number of patients died by suicide  shortly after their release.) The young woman had been in and out of psychiatric care for years and  had threatened to take her life earlier in 2021. [23]

Serious questions need to be asked about how such cases are managed and the appropriate level of  care people receive.

Concerns Grow after Unprovoked Violence on Public Transport

A man with a history of hearing voices and paranoid thoughts has been sentenced for two violent  assaults on bus drivers in the suburb of Ponsonby, Auckland. The first attack, in December 2023, left  the driver so badly injured he could no longer work in his role.  Just four months later, in the same  area, the man attacked a female driver after she asked him to leave for not paying his fare. [24]

Another violent incident occurred late one night in October last year on a West Auckland Train with  partygoers heading home. A group of about 30 teenagers surrounded and attacked four young  adults — three women and one man in their early twenties — in what police described as an  unprovoked assault. The attack happened just before midnight and left the victims with life-altering

head injuries and deep facial scarring. The victims said it has left them fearful of now travelling on  public transport. [25]

Violent attacks on First Responders  on the Increase

Between March 2025 and March 2026, St John’s Deputy chief executive Dan Oha reported that     staff experienced 426 reported incidents of violence—representing a 10% increase from 2024. The  psychological toll on paramedics as  a result of these experiences is significant. [26]

In 2025 it was reported that nation-wide there were 7500 reports of assault against medical staff i.e.  doctors and nurses.  Michael Connelly – the Chair of the Australasian College of Emergency Medine  NZ said that the reports of violence were a real concern. Violence to front line staff can range from  verbal assault to physical contact and physical harm. [27]

The SPCA has reported that their staff, primarily inspectors attending to incidents of animal abuse are  increasingly the target of verbal abuse on site or online, death threats and threats of physical and  sexual violence. Selena Francisco, SPCA Head of Animal Care said it has reached a point where  inspectors were now equipped with stab proof vests as well as other personal protection equipment  to protect themselves while attending calls. [28]

Six Weeks of Violence Leave 16 Dead

On October 2nd  the New Zealand Herald reported that 16 people had lost their lives in a spate of  violent incidents between August 19th and October 1st . A series of multiple person homicides and  suspected murder-suicides involving young children have been identified as incidents of family  violence.

Reasons for the  escalation of violence have been put down to the financial pressures that families  are under currently along with a failure to support and treat people with serious mental health and  addiction problems, according to experts in the community. [29]

These are not isolated incidents ; they are patterns.  Behind the numbers are real people and  these tragic stories should make us ask hard questions about our society and what is  happening.

The Economic Costs of Violence

Every four minutes, New Zealand Police respond to a family harm incident—amounting to as many as  400 call-outs every day. It’s a confronting reality in a nation that prides itself on kindness, community,  and whānau. Yet behind too many closed doors, a hidden war continues, leaving victims injured,  traumatised, and too often unheard.

Estimated Costs of Domestic Violence

As of 2026, the most recent and frequently cited comprehensive costing of domestic violence in New  Zealand remains the 2014 report commissioned by the Glenn Inquiry, which estimated the annual  economic cost to be between $4.1 billion and $7 billion.

While there hasn’t been a full, updated economic study for domestic violence as a whole since 2014,  more recent specific costings and government investments provide a current picture:

Key Cost Estimates

• Total Annual Cost (2014 Baseline): $4.1 billion to $7 billion per year. High-end projections suggested that without intervention, the cumulative cost could approach $80 billion over ten  years.
• Sexual Violence (2020 Update): A 2021 study by BERL estimated that sexual violence specifically cost New Zealand $6.9 billion in 2020. [30]
• Cost of Homicide: The average cost of a single homicide in New Zealand is estimated at $4 million [31]
• Workplace Productivity: Domestic violence is estimated to cost New Zealand employers at least $368 – $894 million annually due to lost workdays and reduced productivity.

Firearms incidents cost Aotearoa $322m a year: Strong laws save lives | PHCC

A new study (2025), published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, that covers the period 2002 -2023,  shows that although firearm suicide rates decreased after firearms legislation tightened in 1992,  firearm assaults and related hospitalisations have risen since 2014. Each year, firearm-related  mortality and hospitalisation costs NZ$321m in lost life-years and NZ$1.48m in hospital care.

Key Findings

• Hospitalisations for firearm assault more than doubled between 2014 and 2018. Assaults now account for a growing share of costs and years of life lost, with victims younger on  average than those who die by suicide. In New Zealand, nearly 80 percent of firearm deaths  are suicides.

The report concludes by stating the increasing number of firearm assaults is concerning. [32]

These figures underscore that violence is not just a social issue but a massive economic burden on  New Zealand, affecting all sectors.

Getting to the Crux of the Matter

Two of the most infamous mass school shootings in the United States—Sandy Hook in 2012 and  Parkland in 2018—involved young men, Adam Lanza and Nicholas Cruz, who had undergone  psychiatric treatment from an early age and were reported to be taking antidepressant medication at  the time of the attacks.

Consistently, after disbelieve and sadness over school shootings has abated, public debate has  overwhelmingly focused on gun control, with little scrutiny of medication histories. Such was the  case with  Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook).

When Sheila Matthews (Able Child) a child welfare advocate sought information about the  medication Adam Lanza was reportedly taking at the time, the Connecticut state authorities refused  to release the information stating  that Lanza’s right to privacy (although he was fatally shot at the  time of shooting) outweighed public disclosure and warned that releasing such information could  cause widespread panic, potentially leading people on psychiatric drugs to stop taking  their  medications. [33]

This response lies at the core of a much deeper problem. Psychiatric medications are widely framed  as the primary—often the only—solution to what society labels as “mental health” issues.  When

asked if psychiatry has a cure for “mental health” ailments, the standard response from psychiatrists  is “there is no cure we just treat the symptoms.”

Yet this perspective demands serious re-examination. First, we need to rethink the language we use  and the criteria that guide treatment, shifting toward a more holistic model of support for individuals  navigating stress, trauma, and life pressures. Second, people deserve full transparency about the  potential benefits and risks of psychiatric medications, along with meaningful access to a range of  alternative treatment options. True care begins with informed choice, not fear-driven silence.

In her concluding comments on a BBC Podcast – What can we do about the world’s mental health  problems – in November 2019, Grace Ryan a researcher at London’s Global Mental Health Centre said  –

“What excites me about the sector I work in is that there are more answers out there that we have  not come up with and that by looking further afield we might discover something really exciting and  transformative that could improve mental health care all over the world.” [34]

Now here is the Good News

Encouragingly, the range of alternative treatments available to support people suffering with distress   has never been broader or more promising. Over the past twenty years, research has shown that  antidepressants are not a universal ‘one size fits all’ solution, (It is a well-known fact that for a third  of all patients prescribed antidepressants, they are totally ineffective) despite how they have often  been presented. At the same time, increased awareness of their potential drawbacks has led many  people to explore more comprehensive, holistic approaches to wellbeing. In addition to innovative  therapies now emerging, substantial clinical evidence already supports safe and effective options  such as micronutrient supplementation, mentoring, meditation, massage, and regular physical  activity. These methods can significantly help alleviate conditions like depression and anxiety, while  also empowering individuals to take a more active role in improving their lives.

In their groundbreaking book – The Better Brain – Dr. Julia Rucklidge (Canterbury University)  and Dr.  Bonnie Kaplan (Canada) argue that nutrition, long ignored in psychiatry, is central to preventing and  treating mental health conditions. Rich in evidence-based science, the book makes a strong case for  broad-spectrum nutritional supplements to be available through mainstream medicine as an  effective and cheaper alternative to psychotropic medications (primarily antidepressants) to treat  mental health disorders. Their work draws from global studies and their own clinical research in New  Zealand and Canada, challenging the widespread reliance on antidepressants and advocating for a  return to good nutrition as medicine to assist people in the recovery process. [35]

The following clinical studies undertaken in Christchurch in 2011 and 2019 prove the efficacy of  broad-spectrum nutritional supplements.

The Christchurch Case Studies:

Multinutrients in Crisis In the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, researchers from  Canterbury University launched a study to see whether micronutrients could help traumatised  residents. Ninety-one people took part in the trial and were randomised to one of three groups –  (Berocca a B-complex formula, EMP (Mutinutrient Supplement) high dose, EMP low dose). An  additional twenty-five people served as a non-randomised control group (they received the typical  care being offered to Christchurch public at the time.

The study ran for three months during which the city continued to be rocked by aftershocks. The  results were striking – people who took broad-spectrum nutritional supplements reported better  mood, reduced anxiety, and lower rates of PTSD. Participants on the higher dose of EMP Supplement  showed the greatest improvements in mood, energy, and anxiety—consistent with findings from the  2010 earthquake study—and were five t times more likely to continue the nutrients post-trial  compared to those on Berocca. Among all treated groups, PTSD rates dropped from 65% to 19%,  while the untreated group saw no change, remaining at around 50%. [36]

A similar intervention took place following the tragic 2019 Christchurch Mosque Shootings, in which  a white supremacist gunman killed 51 and injured 40 people of Muslim faith at two mosques in  Christchurch. In just five weeks, rates of probable PTSD among traumatised participants dropped  from 77% to 23%—with no adverse effects reported. [37]

Significant Government Savings Through Nutritional Psychiatry

IF Multinutrients—clinically proven and cost-effective—were made available by prescription  through the primary health sector, the potential savings to the government could be substantial. Not  only would this reduce reliance on more expensive pharmaceutical interventions, but it could also  decrease hospitalisations, emergency responses, and long-term disability support caused by  untreated or poorly managed mental health conditions.

In 2019, the Labour Government ring-fenced $1.9 billion over five years for “mental health”  services— a commendable initiative, but one that pales in comparison to the $20 billion annual cost  of “mental” illness to the New Zealand economy, as highlighted by Auditor-General John Ryan in his  February 2024 report Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Young New Zealanders. Ryan stated: “The  human and economic costs of inaction are high. It is estimated that mental illness costs New Zealand  about 5% of gross domestic product annually. In 2023, this meant more than $20 billion.” [38]

By investing a fraction of that amount into making multinutrient treatments accessible, the  government could unlock dramatic cost savings while also improving health outcomes for  thousands. This is not just a matter of public health—it is a sound economic strategy for a  healthcare system already under immense strain.

The combined costs of NZ Violence and “Mental Health” amount to around $30bn annually (there  may be some cross sector duplication of costs) however this is a staggering figure for a country  whose GDP output in 2025 was between $USD 260-290bn.

Election 2026 – Addressing the Woeful Statistics of New Zealand Youth is the Most Powerful  Investment New Zealand Can Make!

On January 22, the Prime Minister Chris Luxon announced that New Zealand’s general election will  be held on November 7.

As election campaigning ramps up, voters can expect the usual recycled rhetoric on the economy,  housing, education, and health. However, the critical issue of youth wellbeing has largely been  ignored since the early 2000s, often dismissed as too difficult to fix. Instead, a ‘pill for every ill’  dictum – a cheap ‘one size fits all approach’ mentality has prevailed, while young people are  routinely used as a political football when it suits party narratives.

This approach is totally unacceptable. New Zealand politicians must wake up to the reality that the  wellbeing of our youth should be central to any serious election platform. For nearly two decades,

successive governments have failed to recognise that the health and wellbeing of young people are  fundamental to building a vibrant, productive, and resilient nation.

The consequences of this neglect are clear. In 2019, UNICEF gave New Zealand an “F for Failure” in  youth wellbeing, citing alarming rates of youth suicide, rising obesity, and declining academic  achievement. [39]

In 2021, UNICEF reported that – Of all the countries it named, New Zealand had seen the highest  increase in prescriptions of antidepressants for children – a rise of 78.3 per cent from 2006 to 2016.

The reasons for this increase were hard to pinpoint. The agency suggested a range of causes, from  “overprescription” to greater awareness about mental disorders.

It warned such widespread use of medication among children could have unintended consequences  as “the effects of drugs on young people may be very different from those seen in adults”. [40]

Fast Forward to 2025.

On the 15th May 2025, UNICEF released an updated report card. The agency ranked New Zealand as  the lowest ranking country, in 36th place out of 36 countries with available data.

Based on the UNICEF report it appears that despite the wealth of funding that has been thrown at  “Mental Health” over the past two decades via psychotropic medication and service provision, there  has been little or no improvement in the health and wellbeing of young people.

According to the report, New Zealand had the highest suicide rate amongst youth in the 36 countries  that were analysed, the second highest rate of school bullying and the third highest percentage of  overweight children. (43)

These are not marginal issues—they are a national warning sign. If political leaders are serious  about New Zealand’s future, youth wellbeing must be at the top of the agenda in November.

UNICEF Aotearoa CEO Michelle Sharp echoed these sentiments when she said in the 2025 report  that the data should be a wake-up call and the upcoming Budget was an opportunity for the  government to create positive change.     “Too many children in Aotearoa are missing out on their childhood. We’re calling on the government  to direct funding towards addressing these problems and to shift the dial, so New Zealand is not  ranked so alarmingly close to the bottom of the table when it comes to child wellbeing. The  government can act now, and act quickly to make positive impacts if it chooses to,.” she said.

Sharp concluded by saying child wellbeing in New Zealand is a political choice.     “The quality of life being experienced by the Tamariki and Rangatahi in this country is down to  political choice, and we urge our decision-makers to make the right choices and directly invest in  children in the imminent Budget and beyond”. [42]

On the 25/2/26 the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission released a report  showing that a  growing number of New Zealanders are experiencing high levels of psychological distress. The latest  figures reveal that 14.3% of people reported significant distress, compared with 7.4% five years ago.

Young people aged 15–24 years recorded the highest rates among all age groups surveyed, with  22.9% experiencing high levels of mental distress and there are no signs of this level of stress  decreasing currently. [43]

To conclude, New Zealand has long been a global leader in social progress, often willing to confront  entrenched ideas in pursuit of better outcomes. In 2026, voters should demand the same courage  from political parties by supporting those that place youth wellbeing at the centre of policy and  commit to meaningful reform, including an independent inquiry into the safety and effectiveness of  psychotropic medications prescribed to New Zealanders aged 0–25 years. Failing that, public  dissatisfaction should be clearly expressed at the ballot box in November.

Notes:

1. Prescription for Violence – Psychiatry’s Deadly Side Effects = CCHR DVD 2025 Citizens Commission for Human Rights – International – Los Angeles US
2. Data Source: US Gun Violence Archive (GVA) / Research cited in media reports (e.g., ABC7 New York, 2022).
3. US Data Source: Gun Violence Archive (GVA). (2020)
4. Link
5. Number of victims (fatal and wounded) on K-12 School Property – 2024 US K-12 School Shooting Database – 2024
6. The Angry Society – Why getting mad is all the rage – NZ Listener Feb 22nd 2003
7. Long Black Cloud – NZ Listener August 25th 2001
8. Panic Stations – NZ Listener June 19th 2010
9. Prescription for Violence – Psychiatry’s Deadly Side Effects – Citizen’s Commission for Humam Rights DVD – 2025
10. Link
11. 27 May 2022 | OIA response | Number of antidepressant and antipsychotic prescriptions by age group – Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | NZ Government
12. Growing use of psychotropic drugs among youth: EPiC data | New Zealand Doctor
13. Prescription Drugs Associated with Acts of Violence towards Others – Moore., J, Glenmullen., Furburg., C, D- (2010)
14. Association between SSRIs and Violent Crime in Adolescents, young and older adults – A Swedish register-based study – 2015 Lagerberg, T., Fasel, S., Molero, Y., Anderson , F., et al
15. Child and Adolescent Violent Behaviour and Psychotropic Medications: Behavioural Health and Epidemiological Research Issues for a Post SARS-CoV-2 Environment Tarrance, T. (2024)
16. Psychiatry Now Admits It’s Been Wrong in Big Ways.pdf Bruce Levine 5/3/2014
17. The Rats of N.I.M.H. | The New Yorker Gary Greenberg 16/5/2013
18. Spike in youth crime statistics – NZ Herald 5/6/2024
19. We sit at the wrong end of school bullying rankings – NZ Herald 16/5/25
20. Thousands of students restrained – NZ Herald 2/6/26
21. Schools warn of rise in violence – NZ Herald 27/7/26
22. Mother’s spiral into madness – NZ Herald 10/9/2025
23. Women took life after release from care – NZ Herald 10/11/25
24. 501 jailed for bus driver attacks – NZ Herald 15/12/25
25. Partygoers left concussed, scared after teen attack – NZ Herald 16/1/26
26. A night out on the road – NZ Herald – 28/3/2026
27. ED doctors warn violence against staff still rife – NZ Herald 17/4/26
28. SPCA Staff Fearful as Death Threats Rise – NZ Herald 6/6/26
29. Sixteen dead in 47 days of violence – NZ Herald 7/10/26
30. The startling economic cost of sexual violence | BERL
31. Treasury Guest Lecture – Family Violence: Its Socio-Economic Impact on New Zealand
32. Firearms incidents cost Aotearoa $322m a year: Strong laws save lives | PHCC 25
33. Prescription for Violence – Psychiatry’s Deadly Side Effects – Citizen’s Commission for Humam Rights DVD – 2025
34. The Inquiry – What can we do about the world’s mental health problem? – BBC Sounds – Running On Empty: Antidepressants and Youth Suicide – A New Zealand Review – p.84 Vernall., R.W, – The Copy Press (2021)
35. The Better Brain – How Nutrition Will Help You Overcome Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and Stress- Rucklidge., J. PhD and Kaplan., B, PhD – Penguin Random House UK (2021).
36. Ibid p.130
37. Ibid p.174
38. Meeting the mental health needs of young New Zealanders — Office of the Auditor-General New Zealand
39. Link
40. Medication alone not enough to treat mental health issues in Kiwi kids, Unicef warns | Stuff
41. UNICEF Aotearoa
42. Ibid
43. Urgent calls for action on youth mental health following report release 25-2-26 – NZ Herald

Disclaimer

The author of the paper shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with  respect to any loss, damage or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the  information contained in this article. The information presented is for educational purposes only and  is in no way intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or personal  counselling that relate to matters on mental health.     About the Author

Richard Vernall is a career practitioner (Grad Diploma in Career Development 2005) who has worked  with young people providing vocational pathways since 1990. He designed the first independent  supported employment agency (Poly-Emp 1993) in New Zealand for students with learning  difficulties that operates out of Unitec and Manukau Institute of Technology. Richard was a board  member of JAG Justice Action Group for People with Disabilities – 2006-2017, and he is the author of  the book – Running on Empty: Antidepressants and Youth Suicide – A New Zealand Review. The Copy Press, Nelson (2021)

Other Publications:

• A Moment to Rethink Policing, Protection and Public Trust – Kiwis For Good – 25/8/25  A Moment to Rethink: Policing, Protection, and Public Trust • Kiwis For Good Foundation   Rethinking Mental Health: Is Nutrition the Missing Piece? NZ Daily Telegraph – 8/6/2025   Rethinking mental health: Is nutrition the missing piece? – Daily Telegraph NZ   The transformational power of human connection: Why our mental health system needs more than  pills and protocols – NZ Daily Telegraph – 15/5/2025
• The transformational power of human connection: Why our mental health system needs more than pills and protocols – Daily Telegraph NZ   Collateral Damage: The Negative Impact of Antidepressants on New Zealand Youth
• Mad In America Blog – February 19th 2022  Collateral Damage: The Negative Impact of Antidepressants on New Zealand Youth – Mad In America