Prozac is a medication often prescribed for bipolar disorder,
bulimia, and anxiety disorders. The medication is highly
effective because it acts as a serotonin inhibitor, which means
that it helps balance serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin
levels are responsible for mood stability, depressive states,
and control of anxiety, fears, or phobias.
Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a mental illness that
is caused by a combination of biological, neurological,
emotional, and situational factors. The true causes of bipolar
disorder are not yet fully understood. However, it is understood
that imbalances in the neurotransmitters of the brain, such as
serotonin, are partially responsible for the predisposition of
bipolar disorder in some patients.
Bulimia is an eating disorder in which the patient eats
excessively then purges themselves of the food they have eaten
through either vomiting or induced bowel movements. Bulimia is
caused by a combination of psychological and emotional factors,
and in some cases environmental factors. The emotional factors
relating to bulimia are very similar if not identical to factors
involved with depression and low self worth issues, which are
connected to serotonin levels in the brain.
Anxiety disorders are thought to be caused by erratic
fluctuations in brain chemistry. Anxiety is defined as the
intense somewhat debilitating feeling that something horrible is
going to happen. Everyone feels anxiety at some point, but
typically the normal person has a logical reason to feel
anxious. With anxiety disorders, the reason for the anxiety may
not be known, or it may not be logical if it is known.
Prozac is an effective treatment for bipolar disorder, bulimia,
and anxiety because it controls and balances the serotonin
levels in the brain. In bipolar patients, it is often prescribed
in conjunction with other medications. Prozac is an effective
treatment for depression, but may cause manic episodes to
worsen. For this reason, Prozac is generally prescribed along
with an anti-psychotic drug that helps tone down manic episodes.
Therapy sessions or counselling is also generally a part of
treatment.
In bulimia patients, Prozac is often the only prescription
given. However, it is combined with treatment of symptoms via
counselling and therapy. The idea behind this counselling is to
identify why the patient has developed a sense of self-worth,
and to allow the patient to learn that what they perceive is not
necessarily reality. This is very helpful in bulimia patients
who binge and purge as a result of how they perceive their
bodies.
Anxiety patients are often prescribed Prozac with great success.
Counselling may also be a part of treatment. In therapy
sessions, patients may learn techniques to control their anxiety
through rationalization of situations that may not at first
appear rational. For example, if a patient feels anxiety over a
cigarette burning in an ashtray, they can learn techniques to
allow their mind to rationalize the situation and understand
that there is no real danger of fire, and therefore no reason
for the anxiety. These techniques are very successful in
conjunction with Prozac for treating anxiety.
Overall, Prozac is an effective treatment for many mood
disorders. Along with Lithium, it is often considered a miracle
drug, helping patients gain stability and normal lives while
living with an unstable, unrealistic view of themselves or their
surroundings.
Contributed by: Bipolar
Disabilities Guide
