The newer antidepressants including Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa, and Lexapro commonly cause some degree of over-stimulation. The effects are not unlike those of cocaine and amphetamine, and both the Prozac-like drugs and the stimulants impair function of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. Some of the other newer antidepressants, including Effexor, Serzone, Cymbalta and Wellbutrin can have similar effects.

No one knows the frequency of very severe reactions to the antidepressants. Some studies indicate that some degree of clinically significant over-stimulation and mania is caused in a startling 5%-10% of all patients taking these drugs.

A number of clinical reports have also described a  syndrome of obsessive SSRI-induced suicidality and violence that seems particular to these drugs.

Articles by Dr. Breggin dealing with antidepressants:

• Intoxication Anosognosia (Medication Spellbinding) (PDF)
• Recent US, Canadian, and British regulatory agency actions concerning antidepressant-induced harm to self and others (PDF)
• Recent regulatory changes in antidepressant labels: implicatons of activation (PDF)
• Copy of Dr. Breggin's Paxil product liability report in the Lacuzong case
• Paxil Special Report I: Court filing makes public my previously suppressed analysis of Paxil's effects (PDF)
• Paxil Special Report II: How GlaxoSmithKline suppressed data on Paxil-induced akathisia (PDF)
• Paxil Special Report III: Drug company suppressed data on paroxetine-induced stimulation (PDF)
• The Great Suicide Loophole
• Antidepressant madness strikes baseball pitcher Jeff Reardon
• Antidepressant-induced suicidality and violence: more about deception than science (PDF)
• FDA again confirms antidepressant risks
• FDA warns Paxil makes adults suicidal
• Fluvoxamine as a cause of stimulation, mania and aggression with a critical analysis of the FDA-approved label (PDF)
• From Prozac to Ecstasy: the implication of new evidence for drug-induced brain damage (PDF)
• Lancet letter on dangers of Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Observations on SSRI-Induced Behavioral and Mental Abnormalities in Children and Adults (PDF)
• Proven dangers of antidepressants  (PDF)
• Prozac-like drug Luvox taken by Eric Harris
• Suicidality, violence and mania caused by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors  (PDF)
• Suppressed Paxil suicide data released
• Violence and suicide caused by antidepressants: report to the FDA   (PDF)
• Was Columbine school shooter Eric Harris taking Luvox?
• Managed care blamed for overmedications
• Pregnant mothers should not take SSRI antidepressants
• Psychiatry makes war on "bipolar children"

The following books contain further information SSRI antidepressants, their side effects, and safe means of withdrawing from them

• The Antidepressant Fact Book
• Talking Back to Prozac
• Your Drug May Be Your Problem
• Medication Madness
• Toxic Psychiatry
• Reclaiming Our Children