A psychiatrist provides an insider account on the controversial use of
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Prozac. Paxil. Zoloft. Turn on your television and you are likely to see
a commercial for one of the many selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) on the market. We hear a lot about them, but do we really
understand how these drugs work and what risks are involved for anyone
who uses them?
Let Them Eat Prozac explores the history of SSRIs--from their early
development to their latest marketing campaigns--and the controversies
that surround them. Initially, they seemed like wonder drugs for those
with mild to moderate depression. When Prozac was released in the late
1980s, David Healy was among the psychiatrists who prescribed it. But he
soon observed that some of these patients became agitated and even
attempted suicide. Could the new wonder drug actually be making patients
worse?
Healy draws on his own research and expertise to demonstrate the
potential hazards associated with these drugs. He intersperses case
histories with insider accounts of the research leading to the
development and approval of SSRIs as a treatment for depression. Let
Them Eat Prozac clearly demonstrates that the problems go much deeper
than a side-effect of a particular drug. The pharmaceutical industry
would like us to believe that SSRIs can safely treat depression,
anxiety, and a host of other mental problems. But, as Let Them Eat
Prozac reveals, this "cure" may be worse than the disease.
