First there was Prozac, now there is Ketamine?

Ketamine, the party drug,might be used in anti-depressants. The company Johnson and Johnson now has an altered version of ketamine called esketamine onto mid-stage clinical trials. However, the FDA’s evaluation is final. Until then, the pharmaceutical and mental health industry will have to speculate on whether or not ketamine will have a role in treating depression at all. Meanwhile, Prozac is still a commonly administered drug often used to treat major depression, OCD, PTSD, bulimia nervosa and panic disorders.

How effective is Prozac?

How effective is Prozac, anyway? Also known as Fluoxetine, Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that was highly exulted from its announcement in 1988 after the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug. Now, it is also known to be a overprescribed medication—a quick fix for our complex mental problems. Needless to say, people had high expectations for Prozac but the myth that had perpetuated in society is just that—a myth. The effectiveness of Prozac has been overhyped.

Every invention or idea has been built upon from pre-existing inventions or ideas. For science, this is not at all different – ideas in science always yield to evidence. Prozac has long been known to be the miracle wonder that increases levels of serotonin in the brain and as a result, betters one’s mood. Now, the evidence is that serotonin does indeed play a large factor in our moods but not in the way we thought it does; the theory that low serotonin causes depression is on the verge of collapse. So, is Prozac as effective as we though it to be anymore?

It turns out that there had been studies that Prozac was effective, and they were published. But exactly how effective is it? That is the question. It was published that the drug wasslightly effective, but on the other hand there were also unpublished studies claiming that Prozac does not work. These unpublished studies were quietly buried by the companies making these drugs.

In the last few years, it was found that these SSRIs, including Prozac, did not produce a huge improvement in people with slight to moderate depression. In people with severe depression, however, the improvement was much more significant – more than a placebo effect.

So, in short, apparently, depression induced by psychosis, anxiety, alcohol and drug problems is tackled quite efficiently by Prozac. For others with mild depression, Prozac may not be an effective solution. Instead, psychotherapy may be an alternative.

The conclusion is this, Prozac works. But our understanding of why and how it works was wrong from the get-go. Lowering serotonin levels does not induce or worsen depression. Depression can be thought of as brain cells shrinking and dying – atrophy, much like other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Instead of making us happier, Prozac heals neurons.

So how will the introduction of ketamine into the world of anti-depressant medication change the landscape? That’s a question for the drug companies.

Question:Can you get addicted to Prozac?

Answer:If abused, it is possible and yes – it is difficult to stop taking it once a routine has been established.