SSRIs can lead to emotional dullness

This is a small study but it’s vital to appreciate that people suffering with mental health problems may be sensitive to their environment. People with depression can have feelings of impending doom and lack of happiness and, at that point, these drugs can prevent life-threatening events such as suicide. Of course, everybody is different and there is not a one-size-fits-all policy and some people may find that SSRIs make them feel worse, in which case we need to look at other medications and options to manage their symptoms.

As a doctor of over 20 years, I have prescribed thousands of SSRIs. However, I constantly have patients coming back and telling me “Dr, I felt zombified on them”, etc. There is ample anecdotal evidence from my practice that this is the case. They have been around for decades and were popularised following the (in)famous Diana interview where she admitted to taking Prozac. However, whilst they may work, they are by no means the solution to depression/anxiety/emotional distress. The cause behind the symptoms needs to be identified and dealt with – via counselling or other similar means. As well as the study on the blunting side effect, other studies have actually shown they don't work. Over the past couple of years, my prescribing of SSRIs has markedly decreased.