How do ssri's really work?

[Cookson]

The marketing of drug companies suggest that the cause of are 'depression' is a simple 'chemical imbalance within the brain' down to low levels of serotonin that can be alleviated by taking an ssri- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibiter to correct the brain chemistry.

 

This theory of a 'chemical imbalance' we now know is rubbish, because we have no way of measuring levels of serotonin and have no idea what normal brain chemistry is.

 

They literally just invented the idea our supposed dysfunctional brain chemistry can be fixed with their pills.

 

If this is the case then why does it help people with their mood disorder, depression e.t.c?

 

 

 

[Jemima]

SSRIs *don't* help people with mood disorders for the most part.  They are no more effective than placebos.  I think there's an article or two on this site regarding studies that have been done.

[Claudius]

SSRIs *don't* help people with mood disorders for the most part.  They are no more effective than placebos.  I think there's an article or two on this site regarding studies that have been done.

 

I must say I do not agree, aqlthough I am the last one to aadvocate the use of SSRI's.

 

I do not believe in the chemical imbalance theory but I do believe that serotonine is affected with fear, anxiety, joy and other emotions. Most drugs, legal or legal, increase the amount of serotonine and/or the other neurtransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline.

 

I DID feel a great effect of Paxil/Seroxat shortly afer starting it in 2002, it blocked my anxiety and even made me feel extremely well and confident in an almost surrelistic way. This was surely no placebo effect because I had tried several benzo's before but these had indeed no effect on me.

One of my former forum mates of the other site PP called the effect of Seroxat like "every day is a party".

 

Of course, the withdrawal was not worth this feeling and it is a big crime that GSK did not give any wrning about this. This company should be closed forever and the leading officials be punished.

But I do not share the opinion that the pills do nothing. Many people feel the desired effect of them, at least while taking them and not stopping them.

So I consider the SSRI's as effective but highly addictive and dangerous drugs.

[GiaK]

to call SSRIs no better than placebo is misleading because while it's technically true they are very different than placebos...they are NOT inert...they are very active and they make EVERYONE feel differently...

 

people who are very depressed like to feel different...different can sometimes feel better even if only for a while...sometimes different feels much better and sometimes different feels really bad and even dangerous (think homicidal and suicidal)...

 

they are not inert and they will act in all manner of ways in different people....and yeah, they also cause iatrogenic damage...often severe...but I think the placebo line is overused and extremely misleading....it makes it sound like they do nothing which is absolutely not true.

[Altostrata]

"No better than placebo" was in reference to the effect SSRIs have on DEPRESSION only. Some feel better, some feel worse, some feel nothing from the drugs.

 

Otherwise, SSRIs are powerful drugs with a lot of other effects, some very undesirable, on the nervous system and body.

[Cookson]

I think in part how they work is blunting the emotional response.

 

As opposed to the 'chemical imbalance theory' depression is simply poor regulation of emotion in the brain so it makes sense.

[Meimeiquest]

For me, the very worst thing Prozac did to me, the first time I took it, was make me feel better. Because what I needed to do was deal with some issues in my life, but Prozac took care of all that...temporarily. When the fire alarm goes off (and so many different things can set it off) you can put out the fire...or you can just take the batteries out of the alarm.

[Altostrata]

That's pretty much it -- antidepressants take the batteries out of the alarm.

 

Here's a study that says antidepressants interfere with learning from adverse events: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4889-herzallah-2013-learning-from-negative-feedback-in-patients-with-major-depressive-disorder-is-attenuated-by-ssri-antidepressants/

[Nikki]

I don't know chemically how SSRI's work.  From my own experience. Paxil stopped the horrific panic attacks I was having and stopped the crushing depression.  In doing so, I picked myself up, got into Therapy, Al-Anon and read as much as I could on healing from the past, and at that time present circumstances.

 

My emotions were not blunted or put on hold.  I faced many issues at that time, was a hands-on Mom for my daughter, kept a home, and worked on myself emotionally and physically.  I began running in 5K races which helped elevate my self-esteem.  I was unable to do that from the chronic panic/depression.

 

I was able t walk thru a divorce with some good friends holding my hand and I did go thru a grieving process over the loss of a dream and lost time.

 

And just as you said Cookson........then came the decision to get off Paxil.....and the rude awakening that Paxil was murderous to get off of.

 

It was then that I and many others at the time realized that there is such a thing as WD and it is not just feeling like we have the flu.

There were news stories about people committing suicide from it.  And then we found out about Effexor and Lexapro and so on...

 

And websites began to sprout up for people to help each other get off meds, because physician's were unable to help.

 

Sadly, therapy, diet, exercise and a strong faith are not always enough to combat what some of us went thru.  As treacherous as SSRI's are they have actually helped alot of people.  Like my mother always says "Six of one - half a dozen of another".

 

Getting off of them can actually be worse than the reason we went on them in the first place.....go figure.

[MaryKA]

If taking SSRIs are like taking the battery out of the alarm and if I've had the alarm bells ringing while on the drug the same as before I started it, does that mean I don't (read didn't) need the drug?

[Finn]

One of my former forum mates of the other site PP called the effect of Seroxat like "every day is a party".

 

 

I feel a little bit cheated here. I never once felt good on any antidepressant. Yes, it stopped the acute awful feeling, but it wasn't like it sent me right back to my baseline thinking or responding. I took it (at least the first time) under the impression that I was going to feel good again, and it never came through...

 

I would love to know what exactly was done to my brain to make me feel so blunted!