Saturday, July 21, 2007

Notes from the Prozac Nation, Vol. 1, No. 2

Once again I am a little late on posting this series. I intend to get these posted on fridays, but let's face it: my life is a little different lately. Question: does anyone want to submit a piece for Melancholy Monday?

  • Increased Sales of SSRIs is correlated with lower suicide rates in Norway: An ecological study (the kind rarely carried out by psychiatrists in the U.S.) found this negative correlation. Read the abstract here.
  • Many patients are rejecting SSRIs and seeking alternative treatments: I have to say I was surprised by this article in the Wall Street Journal, which reported widespread disatisfaction with antidepressants, especially because the CDC reports these medications are the most prescribed drugs in the U.S.
  • An honest account from a mother who experienced not joy, but depression during her pregnancy: Jody Santos not only shares her experience of depression during pregnancy, but also argues that the "post-feminist family values" era silences women from admitting that they are suffering from crippling depression.
  • Is enhancement ethical?: David Plotz from Slate Magazine, after ending a series of reporting on enhancement technology, ends his series with a helpful analysis of the major objections to enhancement. Here is the series of articles related to this final article: "The Future of Memory," "Hearing Aid," "Wake Up Little Susie," "Cheat Your Way to A Great Body."
  • The more girls talk about their fears, the more anxious and depressed they become: This LA Times reports on the results of a study done lead by Amy Rose, published in the Journal of Developmental Psychology.
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