Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

566 Chapter 
16 
Treatment of Psychological Disorders
The overall success rates of antidepressant drugs is good. Unlike antipsychotic 
drugs, antidepressants can produce lasting, long-term recovery from depression. In 
many cases, even after patients stop taking the drugs, their depression does not 
return. On the other hand, antidepressant drugs may produce side effects such as 
drowsiness and faintness, and there is evidence that SSRI antidepressants can increase 
the risk of suicide in children and adolescents (Gibbons et al., 2007; Leckman & King, 
2007; Olfson & Marcus, 2008). 
Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on antidepressant drugs. In par-
ticular, the antidepressant Fluoxetine , sold under the trade name Prozac , has been 
highlighted on magazine covers and has been the topic of best-sellers. 
Does Prozac deserve its acclaim? In some respects, yes. It is effective and has 
relatively few side effects. Furthermore, many people who do not respond to other 
types of antidepressants do well on Prozac. On the other hand, 20–30% of users 
report experiencing nausea and diarrhea, and a smaller number report sexual dys-
functions (Kramer, 1993; Brambilla et al., 2005; Fenter, 2006). 
Another substance that has received a great deal of publicity is St. John’s wort , 
an herb that some have called a “natural” antidepressant. Although it is widely used 
in Europe for the treatment of depression, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
considers it a dietary supplement, and therefore the substance is available here with-
out a prescription. 
Despite the popularity of St. John’s wort, defi nitive clinical tests have found that 
the herb is ineffective in the treatment of depression. However, because some research 
shows that the herb successfully reduces certain psychological symptoms, some pro-
ponents argue that using it is reasonable. In any case, people should not use St. John’s 
wort to medicate themselves without consulting a mental health-care professional 
(Williams et al., 2000; Shelton et al., 2002; Thachil, Mohan & Bhugra, 2007).