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

Prozac (Selective Serotonin re-uptake Inhibitors) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors have been approved for routine in the treatment of a bulky area of psychological disorders, including major depression, obsessive- driven disorder, bulimia nervosa, panic disorder, hearty phobia, post traumatic stress disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. They are overly state to be effective in treating dysthymia and chronic depression. (Tollefson and Rosenbaum, 2001) The shaper of Prozac, Eli Lilly advertises that this dose 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 correct and return to normal functioning. (Eli Lilly, www.prozac.com) The diminished side effects of Prozac and its general effectiveness in treating depression, OCD, bulim ia and panic disorder has made it the medicate 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 veto symptoms associated with depression. As one physician put it, Prozac seemed to give mixer confidence to the habitually timid, to make the sensitive brash, to lend the introvert the well-disposed 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 music went beyond treating illness to changing personality, it entered into our struggle to understand the self. (Kramer, Peter, D., p. xviii, 1993)Prozacs approval for use for patients under the age of 18 has likewise been a particular exchange 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 behavioural 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, subject 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 tally in which a person feels compelled to move about), permanent neurological damage, and suicidal obsession and acts of violence. (Null