" According to one case subject area , a woman experienced darkening of the skin . In her causa , stopping the medicinal drug did not reverse the condition . "
A while back, a woman on TikTok said thather husband started turning blueafter taking the antidepressantProzac. The viral video — which has since been deleted — accumulated millions of views, and it was widely shared beyond TikTok on places like YouTube, etc. We were unable to get in touch with the couple, but according tothis video, the man was healthy and doctors did not know why he started having hyperpigmentation issues after taking the medication. We found other people who shared their experience with skin discoloration after taking the medication as well:
So, as we close out mental health awareness month, we decided to talk to a doctor to learn more. BuzzFeed spoke to Dr. Daniel G. Amen, MD, who has been an adult and child psychiatrist for over 40 years. He is the founder ofAmen Clinics,BrainMD,, andAmen University.
Dr. Amen said that Prozac (also called fluoxetine) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is commonly prescribed to treat depression. “It is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and bulimia nervosa.”
Prozac was the first SSRI that was approved by the FDA in 1987. “Since the launch of Prozac, antidepressant use in the US has increased 400%, and more than one in 10 Americans now takes one,according to the CDC,” Dr. Amen said.
Dr. Amen added , " I have find that SSRIs like Prozac can be good for a specific type of low that I call ' over - focused depression . ' This type of natural depression involves a region of the brain called theanterior cingulate gyrus ( ACG ) , where serotonin receptors are plenteous . Think of the ACG like a gear gear lever that help you go from thought to thought or from one action to another . When there is too much natural process here , it is tie in with low levels of serotonin in the brain , and people run to be depressed , over - concenter , distressed , stiff thinkers , inflexible , argumentative , oppositional , and prevail score . Increasing serotonin can help calm overactivity in the brain . "
However, like many prescription medications, Prozac comes withside effects. In his experience, Dr. Amen said the most common among his patients are weight gain and sexual problems.
However, when it comes to turning blue or experiencing hyperpigmentation issues as a side effect of Prozac, Dr. Amen said there have not been any reported cases for Prozac specifically, but there are two documented cases with the use of Zoloft (also known as sertraline), which is another SSRI used to treat depression. “A2014 case study published in BMJPdescribed a woman who took Zoloft and subsequently experienced darkening of the skin. In her case, stopping the medication did not reverse the condition. This appears to be a very rare side effect, and the journal noted one other previous known case of hyperpigmentation.”
Dr. Amen also shared that there are thousands of lawsuits claiming that Prozac and other psychiatric medications increase violent or suicidal behavior. “Virtually all antidepressants have black box warnings, which means the FDA cautions patients in the strongest terms to pay close attention to potentially extremely harmful or dangerous threats to their health. In some cases, once you start taking antidepressants, they can be hard to stop.”
All that being said, Dr. Amen does believe that antidepressants may be helpful for some people as long as they are targeted to their specific symptoms and brain. Consult your doctor if you think you may be struggling with depression.
If you think you may be struggling with depression,here are 11 signsyou might not realize can be depression. Always consult your doctor if you have concerns, and if you need to talk to someone immediately, theUS National Suicide Prevention Lifelineis 1-800-273-8255. A list of international suicide hotlines can be foundhere.
