SSRI’s are Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors such as Prozac. They regulate the re-uptake process in the pre-synaptic neuron to regulate the level of the neurotransmitter Serotonin available in the synaptic cleft. By closing the re-uptake it increases the serotonin which acts as an emotional shock absorber.
The majority of the serotonin is manufactured in the enterochromaffin cells in the lining of the stomach and upper GI. It’s precursor is 5-HTP or 5-hydroxy-tryptophan. Under stressful conditions it permeates the blood brain barrier.
My personal thoughts are that all anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, mood-stabilizers and anti-anxiety medicines should be short term use only as they do not resolve the problems they only mask the symptoms. That being said, they are also critically important as they do save lives.
The drugs that really bother me are the atypical antipsychotics such as risperdal and zyprexa. They are extremely dangerous and the drug companies just pay off the government with billion dollar+ settlements, while admitting no fault, and then keep on selling them!
Not to mention that being titered off of Valium is a walk in the park versus detoxing from antidepressants for *years*.
[the crack about the ‘risk of addiction’ was sadistically hilarious]
Apparently the [well deserved] bad press that antidepressants have been getting lately is causing the manufacturers to conduct ‘new studies’ to open up ‘new markets’ for their rat poison.