America's Overprescription of Psychiatric Drugs and Unstudied Long-Term Use
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Books
- "Prozac Nation" - Mentioned as an example of literature that discusses SSRIs and their impact.
Videos & Documentaries
- TikTok videos with hashtags like #lexapro, #prozacgirlies, #wellbutrgirlies, #zoloft, #lexaproprogirlie, #lexaho - These videos represent a growing community of young people sharing their positive experiences with antidepressants.
- TikTok videos discussing antidepressant withdrawal symptoms - These videos highlight the negative experiences and difficulties some people face when trying to stop taking antidepressants.
Research & Studies
- Study on withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants - Found that nearly two-thirds of patients on antidepressants for over two years experienced moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms.
- Study on benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms - Showed that between 15% and 44% of chronic benzo users experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms, with 10-15% having long-term symptoms.
Tools & Software
- Hims & Hers - Mentioned as telehealth clinics that can prescribe psychiatric medications virtually.
Articles & Papers
- Article by Betsy McKay and Shalini Ramachandran in The Wall Street Journal - This article detailed their investigation into long-term benzodiazepine use.
People Mentioned
- Betsy McKay (Senior Writer at The Wall Street Journal) - Co-investigator on the report about psychiatric drugs.
- Shalini Ramachandran (Investigative Reporter at The Wall Street Journal) - Co-investigator on the report about psychiatric drugs.
- John West - Provided additional reporting for the episode.
Organizations & Institutions
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Required drugmakers to add warnings about the risks of benzodiazepines and called for proper tapering guidelines.
Websites & Online Resources
- suicide and crisis lifeline (988) - A resource for individuals struggling with mental health crises.
Other Resources
- Ativan (lorazepam) - A popular anxiety medication and a type of benzodiazepine.
- Xanax (alprazolam) - A common benzodiazepine prescribed for insomnia.
- Valium (diazepam) - An early benzodiazepine drug that was heavily marketed.
- Prozac (fluoxetine) - An SSRI antidepressant introduced in 1987.
- Zoloft (sertraline) - A popular antidepressant.
- Lexapro (escitalopram) - A popular antidepressant.