Last Updated on August 8, 2021 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
Table of Contents:
Alternative to Meds Center has found effective Prozac addiction treatment to minimize withdrawal. If Prozac users develop problems with Prozac addiction, they can face even more challenging problems when discontinuing the medication and going through Prozac withdrawal symptoms. We know of other answers besides settling for a life of antidepressant medicating.
How Does Prozac Addiction Develop?
A physical Prozac dependency appears to be where the development of Prozac abuse and addiction stem from. As with most other addictions, once the dependency has formed if the substance is reduced in dosage or withdrawn from the system; withdrawal symptoms may emerge and can potentially be severe. Doctors call this “discontinuation syndrome,” which is one way of putting it but they typically don’t call it “withdrawal” which is what it is. Why won’t they call it withdrawal? Because the term “withdrawal” implies that addiction is involved, and addiction implies an array of negative aspects. So here we run into the question of “Is Prozac addictive?” This question then leads to many other unanswered questions.
Is this drug only considered addictive because it causes withdrawal? Is Prozac addictive in the same sense as cocaine addiction? There may be an answer to at least one question: Does this drug have some form of addictive properties? Yes, absolutely. It is prescribed worldwide for everything from depression to obesity, leading many individuals wondering if it is as safe as the doctors and pharmaceutical companies say it is. Its effects have been the subject of many various studies since the 1980s, including the effects of Prozac abuse and withdrawal symptoms which may follow upon cessation of the drug. Some results of these studies have probably never seen the light of day, but there are many doctors and other medical practitioners who want Prozac side effects of addiction and the drug’s other risks to be made public.1
Addiction Treatment for Prozac Dependence
Extended (1-2 months or longer) daily use often leads individuals to a subtle creation of Prozac dependency. In addition to physically addictive properties, it seems as though some individuals don’t want to discontinue use of the drug, even if they realize they have an antidepressant addiction. Prozac addiction treatment is often needed to overcome these problems. Additionally, addiction effects can be particularly pronounced in adolescent children. If your child has taken or currently takes Prozac they should be extra carefully monitored once they are discontinuing use of the drug. Heightened depression is just one of the most prominent potential symptoms of withdrawal from Prozac addiction.2
Does Prozac Cause Euphoria?
Since taking this antidepressant can give the user a sense of euphoria, discontinuing use of it may cause individuals to become very depressed — the opposite effect. That is the typical effect of stopping a drug that makes you high. When you stop taking it, you feel the opposite effect. Counseling is imperative for individuals feeling more depressed than usual, especially during withdrawal from Prozac. If you are experiencing any withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing antidepressants it is important to talk to a doctor immediately. Prozac addiction help is available.
Are Mood Swings Common When Coming Off Prozac?
Another potential Prozac withdrawal symptom which is pretty prominent is mood swings (extreme and sudden changes in mood). If sudden swings between euphoria and sadness are experienced, or shifts between elation and depression, talking to a counselor or doctor is important and may provide the appropriate help to restore emotional balance.
Is There a Connection Between Prozac and Suicidal Thoughts or Violent Behavior?
Suicidal tendencies are also a potential symptom of antidepressant addiction and can become more pronounced when the drug is withdrawn. There have been cases of people who may have committed suicide while taking or withdrawing from this drug. Additional manifestations of addiction symptoms include a stronger tendency towards aggressiveness; reportedly there may have also been cases of murder committed while individuals were in withdrawal from this medication. If any of these possible symptoms or similar feelings are being experienced by yourself or someone you know; finding Prozac addiction treatment and seeking out an alternative to manage mental health may just save your life.
What Causes Depression?
Depressed individuals are often given an antidepression drug prior to there being any investigation into what may be the cause of the person’s depression.2 What about a low thyroid, food allergies, or an accumulation of neurotoxins? Those are just a few of the things that could be the main causal factors in depression or potent contributors to the condition. If their diet is very poor in nutrients, their brain may be unable to function properly. Our mental health is subject to all the same insults that a poor diet offers to our physical health. Or maybe the person is surrounded by an unsatisfactory lifestyle, and they just need more supportive surroundings to make more healthy changes. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac don’t produce Serotonin; they stop the reuptake from happening. And even when a person was not deficient in serotonin to begin with, the medication has the ability to cause a serotonin deficiency.
It’s similar to how depression is only combated for a short time when a person uses Cocaine. Cocaine uses up all the dopamine, and it produces no dopamine. Eventually, all the dopamine will degrade and then nothing will feel valuable or rewarding to the person. When Serotonin is stopped from reuptake it’s forced to remain in nerve space, and eventually degraded into metabolites, and then no serotonin is left.
Finding Root Causes for Depression
At Alternative to Meds Center we discover the medical causes why an individual may be depressed. Our program includes the use of lab tests, stabilization of neurochemistry through administering natural substances, targeted nutrition therapy, methods for SSRI addiction withdrawal, amino therapy, eliminating environmental neurotoxins that have accumulated in the persons system over a lifetime, peer support, exercise, yoga, massage, and holistic therapies that are equipped to provide effective Prozac addiction help. We encourage you to call and speak with us and acquire a more comprehensive understanding of help that is available at the Alternative to Meds Center.
