Can Prozac be prescribed for low self-esteem? Although not approved by die FDA for low self-esteem only, Prozac has been approved for major depression. It and minor depression (dysthymia) usually include a common symptom of low self-esteem. Thus, a detailed history should probe for other symptoms of depression or subclinical depression. If either is detected, I would try Prozac or another antidepressant drug.
Has Prozac been successfully used to treat social phobia? Social phobia is an anxiety disorder marked by a strong, persistent fear of certain social situations— especially those involving strangers or those in which the person expects scrutiny (such as public speaking). The apprehension and the fear of embarrassment or humiliation are so great that people who suffer from social phobia typically avoid the dreaded situations completely. Although in all other aspects of living they may function quite normally, they often have excuses for not participating in social situations and they may deny that their fear exists. They have been treated successfully with TCAs as well as MAOIs in the past. Recent reports indicate that Prozac has also been used successfully to treat social phobia.
Can Prozac take away the feeling that I am ugly? This sensation, also known by its official name, dysmorphic somatoform disorder, affects more people than one might imagine. Little research has been done on it, but one study reported ten cases in which patients who had a pathological feeling of ugliness I were treated successfully with Prozac.
It is also a common element of depression— especially among women. “When you’re depressed, you don’t think you’re pretty. None of your good attributes seem to be real,” comments a young bipolar patient of mine. After she made an impressive turnaround on a combination of lithium and Prozac, that feeling disappeared. “To me, it’s a remarkable thing now just to be able to look at myself, just to say. Gee, I’m really attractive,” she says. “It’s a very strange thing, because that good feeling could have been there before; I just don’t feel it when I’m depressed. The depression robs me of any objectivity or any belief that I am good or that there is anything good about me. Depression was like a smokescreen in front of me or a veil that lifted after I took Prozac with lithium.”
Can Prozac decrease suspiciousness in otherwise normal people? Considerable evidence suggests that it can. Although the family (and even the psychiatrist) may see the suspicious character trait as the only bothersome symptom, the suspiciousness may be masking an unrecognized depression. In these cases, Prozac alleviates the underlying clinical or subclinical depression, which in turn causes the patient to feel less suspicious or paranoid. Phobias and feelings of panic that accompany depression usually clear up as well, once the depressive symptoms are alleviated.
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