"When it came time to approve Prozac, the combined efforts of the drug company and the FDA could not come up with even one good study that unequivocally supported the value of Prozac in comparison to placebo. The FDA then decided to break its own rules. It gave approval to Prozac based on its marginal effectiveness when in combination with addictive tranquilizing drugs that reduced the patients' Prozac- induced agitation, anxiety, and insomnia. In the end, Prozac was in reality approved as a combination drug-Prozac plus sedative, addictive tranquilizers, such as Valium and Dalmane. But the medical profession and the public were never told.”
Wonderful article! Nice to see the quote from Dr. Breggin. Dr. Breggin is one of those rare psychiatrists who so beautifully uses these practical strategies like boosting expectations and giving full support, for successful outcomes. His writings and videos should be required material for all in the field.
In my experience with my husband, anti-depressant drugs do seem to lessen the intense feelings but they do nothing for the long-term treatment of depression. I have attributed this to the numbing effect they have on all emotions. I think they make him less sad/depressed/anxious but also less joyful and less empathetic & compassionate. Do you think this is accurate or is the decrease in sadness/anxiety purely a placebo effect?
Wonderful article! Nice to see the quote from Dr. Breggin. Dr. Breggin is one of those rare psychiatrists who so beautifully uses these practical strategies like boosting expectations and giving full support, for successful outcomes. His writings and videos should be required material for all in the field.
In my experience with my husband, anti-depressant drugs do seem to lessen the intense feelings but they do nothing for the long-term treatment of depression. I have attributed this to the numbing effect they have on all emotions. I think they make him less sad/depressed/anxious but also less joyful and less empathetic & compassionate. Do you think this is accurate or is the decrease in sadness/anxiety purely a placebo effect?