Currently undergoing treatment for OCD by taking ssri medications – Prozac (Fluoxetine)
Literally, for 3 weeks straight, I didn’t feel a single inch of improvement and suddenly, my symptoms are 100% gone. I could have sworn that i was going OCD crazy the day prior. I thought ssri medications were more gradual. It felt more like a switch being turned on as soon the time was ripe.
In: Biology
“SSRI” stands for “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor”. There are neurotransmitters which are created in the brain, used for a while, then taken away to be recycled. An SSRI reduces or “inhibits” the taking away or “reuptake” of serotonin specifically or “selectively”.
Because serotonin isn’t being taken away as quickly the normal production will gradually increase the amount within the brain. Eventually it reaches the concentrations which are therapeutic. Unfortunately this takes a while and it passes through a period where adverse effects like suicide increase. Simply put the patient will still feel horrible, but a little bit better so they can actually take action on all the dark thoughts they are having. That is why you were feeling crazy the day before it finally “clicked” and reached a comfortable level.
ssris prevent the reuptake (or reabsorption) of the neurotransmitter serotonin (the “feel good” chemical in your brain) and allows higher levels of serotonin to be left behind in the synapse. It’s not a medication that’ll kick in right away, which is why you have to take it daily for a few weeks to start feeling the effects. As the levels of ssris increase in your blood and stabilize, this is when you’ll begin to feel its therapeutic effects. I’ve been on zoloft for the past 5 years for OCD symptoms and its saved my life. Definitely won’t get rid of the symptoms entirely but really takes the edge off.
My friend’s experience was more of a switch on a Ssri. Not OCD though.
It’s suppose to take 4-6 weeks, but that’s not accounting for the very real placebo effect.
SSRIs primarily affect serotonin but we don’t know exactly how or why that improves symptoms of OCD (Or depression, anxiety, etc.). There was some novel research that came out not too long ago that put in very simple terms found that serotonin was not the cause of depression. That was a mainstream theory for a long while.
It works well enough, you have to be careful when you try to discontinue the meds, some side effects are disconcerting.
Latest Answers