Introduction
Due to the millions of Americans suffering from mental conditions, anxiety as well as depression among other mental related diseases, SSRIs have become a common antidepressant used widely by a majority of Americans. SSRI by their scientific name mean ‘Selective serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor’. They consist of a variety of compounds with individual scientific names manufactured under the umbrella name of SSRI. They are mainly used in the treatment of severe cases of personality disorders, depression and anxiety. The drugs help in easing depression by interfering with the transmission of chemical messengers (Neurotransmitters) that is used to channel communication from one brain cell to another. This is the difference between SSRI and other antidepressants since those other work by altering the levels of either one or more of the brain cells (Ciraulo & Shader 2010).
SSRI are common and widely used since they are comparatively safe to use as the drugs do not interfere with the intake and functioning of other drugs being taken by a patient, and they have fewer side effects compared to other types of antidepressants. Among the chemical compounds that constitute SSRI include; Citalopram (Celexa), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Fluoxetine (Prozac), Paroxetine (Paxil) and Sertraline (Zoloft).
Fluoxetine is however the most commonly used drug in the SSRI category in America. It is known in the market by various trade names such as Prozac, Sarafem as well as Fontex among other names. The drug was first documented in 1974 by Eli Lily Company but only received FDA approval in 1987. Fluoxetine is popular for the treatment of major depression in patients, obsessive-compulsive disorder premenstrual dysphoric disorder, bulimia nervosa and panic disorder. Fluoxetine remains a popular drug for treating depression despite the entrance of newer drugs into the market. In the year 2010, there were over 24.4 million prescriptions precisely for the formulation of fluoxetine in America alone. This puts it in the list of the third most sort after antidepressant after Sertraline and Citalopram (Ciraulo & Shader 2010).
Body
A larger number of scientists all over America believe that neurotransmitter imbalance is the cause of depression. They therefore, try to analyze how the use of Fluoxetine reduces this imbalance and helps patients recover from depression, panic disorder as well as the other mental illnesses. The serotonin, which is part of the brain’s neurotransmitters moves across the spaces that are in between the nerves and attaches itself to the receptor of the nerves which produced it and is taken up by the nerve and once again released in a process known as reuptake. To correct the imbalance, Fluoxetine is used to prevent the continuous reuptake of the neurotransmitter once it has been released by the nerve (Papakostas & Fava 2010).
SSRIs have become widely popular, not only in America but also all over the world as a drug that helps in considerably reducing depression, anxiety disorder, as well as other disorders such as eating disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, impulsive problems, chronic pain and obsessive compulsive disorder. The drug enhances the neurotransmitters serotonin in the brain helping patients to feel more at ease in situation that would have likely sent them into a panic mode. Some of the factors that have made SSRI so popular among patients is their ability of not interfering with the functioning of other drugs in the body, making them safe to use, the only exception lies where they can easily cause high blood pressure when taken with Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (Foye & Lemke 2007).
Other drugs that interfere with SSRI are Nardil, Marplan and Demerol which is used in hospitals to ease pain during surgeries. Since SSRI affect the neurotransmitters in the brain, they alter the mood of a person altering his personality in the process. People taking the drug feel more emotionally stable, assertive, and less hostile around people, they feel they can trust more and become outgoing after two to three weeks of using the drug. SSRI do not result to addiction to its users the way tobacco or cocaine do, the brain however, becomes used to the drug after long exposure to it. It is therefore, advisable to consult a doctor before deciding to take the drug (Starcevic 2005).
It is however, pivotal to mention that antidepressants like any other medication do have its side effects which have led to the government wanting to limit almost restrict the use of SSRI. People below the age of 25 are cautioned when taking the drugs with research showing that such people experience a sensation of wanting to commit suicide and should, therefore, be closely monitored when taking the drug. Among a number of similar side effects that SSRI users will experience include, headaches, nausea, dry mouths, drowsiness, insomnia, weight gain, increased sweating, problem of maintaining an erection, reduced desire for sex and diarrhea (Foye & Lemke 2007). These are some of the common side effects with others prolonging for months or even years, after a person has stopped using the drug. A 2010 review of the SSRIs discovered that the use of the drugs had little impact if none on patients who had moderate depression as compared to placebos but for those with severe depression, it is clinically significant.
With the continuous use of SSRIs, patients have developed a dependency on it while most of the users developing withdrawal symptoms once they stop using the drugs. These withdrawal symptoms may in the end prove severe and debilitating. Though the SSRI are not easily abused, discontinuation of the use of the drug may prove to be the reason for the withdrawal symptoms which may be formidable to distinguish between the withdrawal symptoms and the reoccurrence of the original disease. Doctors arrange for their patients to shift to fluoxetine when beginning their discontinuation of the drug since fluoxetine has a longer half-life which may help to prevent many of the symptoms associated with discontinuing SSRI (Papakostas & Fava 2010).
Conclusion
In my opinion on the continuous use of SSRIs, I do NOT encourage the drugs being commonly used and discharged to patients in all manner of depression cases. I’m not a fan of medications – I believe in alternative therapies, using exercise, meditation, diet, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. instead. I think meds should be a last resort and society relies too much on them, rendering pharmaceutical companies wealthier and people over-dependent on mind-altering drugs. Pharmaceutical companies advertise this drug as the miracle drug that cures depression in the hope of making millions of dollars in sales, yet the side effect experienced prove to be severe even life threatening in the case of users of the drug becoming suicidal (Liebert & Nicola 2009).
There is severe sexual dysfunction among majority of the users that lasts for years in the end causing lack of sexual satisfaction to once again be a cause of depression. People should embrace therapy, eating more healthy foods, exercising as a means of relieving stress and avoid taking meds whenever they have a simple problem that can be solved without the need for pumping more drugs into one’s system.
References
Ciraulo, D. & Shader, R. (2010). Pharmacotherapy of Depression. New York: Springer.
Foye, W., Lemke, T. & Williams, D. (2007). Foye’s principles of medicinal chemistry. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Papakostas, G & Fava, M. (2010). Pharmacotherapy for Depression and Treatment- Resistant Depression. Singapore: World scientific.
Starcevic, V. (2005). Anxiety disorders in adults: a clinical guide. New York: Oxford University Press.
Bloch, H., McGuire, J. & Landeros-Weisenberger, A. et al. (2010). Meta-analysis of the dose- response relationship of SSRI in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Molecular Psychiatry, 15(8).
Ginsberg, D., Oubre, Y., & Daoud, A. (2011). L-methylfolate Plus SSRI or SNRI from Treatment Initiation Compared to SSRI or SNRI Monotherapy in a Major Depressive Episode. Innovations In Clinical Neuroscience, 8(1), 19.
Liebert, R. & Nicola, G. (2009). “There are always two sides to these things”: Managing the dilemma of serious adverse effects from SSRIs. Social Science & Medicine.
