Prozac (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) :: Health Medicine Research Essays

Prozac (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors have been approved for use in the treatment of a wide area of psychological disorders, including major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, social phobia, post traumatic stress disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. They are also said to be effective in treating dysthymia and chronic depression. (Tollefson and Rosenbaum, 2001) The manufacturer of Prozac, Eli Lilly advertises that this drug is particularly effective in treating clinical depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, bulimia and panic disorder. The manufacturer argues that, "While Prozac cannot be said to 'cure' depression, it does help control symptoms of depression, allowing many people with depression to feel better and return to normal functioning." (Eli Lilly, www.prozac.com) The diminished side effects of Prozac and its overall effectiveness in treating depression, OCD, bulimia and panic disorder has made it the drug of choice for over two decades. More than this, many psychiatrists have attributed to the drug some amazing transformative properties above and beyond that of just diminishing the negative symptoms associated with depression. As one physician put it, "Prozac seemed to give social confidence to the habitually timid, to make the sensitive brash, to lend the introvert the social skills of a salesman." (Kramer, Peter, D., p. xvii, 1993) Indeed, he argued that Prozac made patients 'better than well' and actually served to transform personality. "The transformative powers of the medicine went beyond treating illness to changing personality, it entered into our struggle to understand the self." (Kramer, Peter, D., p. xviii, 1993) Prozac's approval for use for patients under the age of 18 has also been a particular selling point for Eli Lilly. As recently as summer 2004, NPR reported that the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that "Prozac, in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, is highly effective for treating depression in teens. But the study also showed a small increase in 'harm-related behaviors,' including suicide attempts, among teens on Prozac." (Baron, National Public Radio, 2004, www.npr.org) Other doctors have been more cautious about the behavioral change benefits of Prozac. They warn that Prozac has produced some very serious side effects leading to several lawsuits against Eli Lilly. "These side effects include akathisia (a condition in which a person feels compelled to move about), permanent neurological damage, and suicidal obsession and acts of violence." (Null