Prozac
The most recommended of 7 antidepressants
More people criticize it than recommend it. Many say it lifted depression and is cheap with few side effects; critics note modest gains over placebo and serious side effects and withdrawal.
10 people recommended Prozac in Hacker News comments, 2 had mixed feelings and 28 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026.
8 of the 10 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts”.
These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor.
Summary written by Claude from the comments below.
40 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 10
- mixed feelings
- 2
- warn against or regret it
- 28
The record
Recommended in 3 of 12 months
In 3 different threads.
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 10 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 0.3 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 3 of 12 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
- Recommended in 3 threadsNeeds 5 or more, not met.
- 8 of its 10 recommenders came from one threadNeeds half or less, not met.
- A health productHealth and money products are never badged, not met.
The same rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. Mixed feelings count toward neither side. How the badge works
What people say about it
Reasons grouped from a sample of 40 of the 53 opinions about it, picked in proportion to how many people recommend it, have mixed feelings and criticize it. Each mark is one comment in the sample. Open a reason to read what they said.
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Withdrawal and unpleasant side effects
“Because this class of drugs was so heavily promoted for such a long time, the side effects have always been swept under the rug.”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “after taking them for a few months in my 20's, and experiencing how terrible the withdrawal symptoms are when stopping”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “No change in my mindset, just the unpleasant side effects when we changed or discontinued my medications.”
Comment from 20 Nov 2025 in “My stages of learning to be a socially normal person” - Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts”
- Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts”
Suicidal thoughts in young people
“Increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults taking antidepressants”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “so generations were poisoned with side-effects: suicidal ideation, homicidal tendencies, etc.”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “Prozac and other SSRIs are proven to cause MORE suicidal tendencies in children.”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” Only modestly better than placebo
“no better at placebo at treating depression but also carries a host of known side effects”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “treatment is more helpful than a sugar pill in only 1 out of 6 cases”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” Psychosis and homicidal impulses
“had a psychotic episode described as a "murderous impulse" just after starting a brand new "wonder pill", Prozac.”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “SSRIs, at their inception, carried black-box warnings about homicidal ideations.”
Comment from 28 Oct 2026 in “Millions Use Antidepressants. We Still Don't Understand How They Work”
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Life-changing improvement in mood
“I take prozac and it's far better than paxil (for me and many others). Has been transformative in my life.”
Comment from 28 Oct 2026 in “Millions Use Antidepressants. We Still Don't Understand How They Work” “A little prozac fixed something that was just chemically wrong in my head.”
Comment from 20 Feb 2026 in “A psychedelic medicine performs well against depression” “As an adult, Prozac for me has been life changing and for the better.”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” - Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts”
Works better than placebo
“Studies repeated with just major depression all conclude antidepressants are better than a placebo.”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “current evidence suggests that prozac is effective well over placebo for adults”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “Having seen the reversal myself, it's hard to understand how this is placebo.”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” Cheap with few side effects
“effectively treated a condition that may be hereditary with no negative side effects”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “since Prozac is cheap and I don't seem to suffer any side effects”
Comment from 21 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” Helps those with genetic predisposition
“for those with genetic predispositions it can be extremely helpful”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts” “If a small dose can help someone have a somewhat "normal" childhood, then its worth a try.”
Comment from 22 Nov 2025 in “Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts”
Other antidepressants people recommend
The four most recommended other antidepressants, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Mixed | Criticize | Approval | Months | Had for | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProzacThis page | 10 | 2 | 28 | 26% | 3 | — | — |
| Ketamine | 8 | 4 | 5 | 62% | 6 | — | — |
| Bupropion | 8 | 4 | 3 | 73% | 3 | — | — |
| Lexapro | 8 | 0 | 3 | 73% | 2 | — | — |
| Wellbutrin | 6 | 0 | 2 | 75% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
40 of the 53 opinions about it, picked in proportion to the three counts, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“I take prozac and it's far better than paxil (for me and many others). Has been transformative in my life.”
“they probably didn't factor that in (or much of anything besides profit sadly”
“SSRIs, at their inception, carried black-box warnings about homicidal ideations.”
“A little prozac fixed something that was just chemically wrong in my head.”
“a made up story by big pharma to sell prozac in the late 1980's”
“we have seen the studies these drug companies made disappear”
“Prozac and other SSRIs are proven to cause MORE suicidal tendencies in children.”
“Putting them on something that encourages a behavior that they don't understand”
“SSRIs often have a very positive, even life changing effect”
“increased rates of suicidal behavior and aggression in children”
“current evidence suggests that prozac is effective well over placebo for adults”
“for those with genetic predispositions it can be extremely helpful”
“A seven-year old child is being given a brain-altering drug?”
“giving a 7 year old prozac is psycho behaviour”
“Because this class of drugs was so heavily promoted for such a long time, the side effects have always been swept under the rug.”
“These huge lists of side effects are haunting”
“You-on-the-pill becomes you, and you can't ever stop.”
“I have gone off of Prozac a few times and always found that I gradually became frustrated and depressed again”
“effectively treated a condition that may be hereditary with no negative side effects”
“If a small dose can help someone have a somewhat "normal" childhood, then its worth a try.”
“prozac gave me the worst, most horrible pit of sadness I've ever had in my entire life”
“Studies repeated with just major depression all conclude antidepressants are better than a placebo.”
“As an adult, Prozac for me has been life changing and for the better.”
“Lower bone mineral density, increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis”
“The drug absolutely destroyed me. Within a few days of taking it, I was in a bizarre state of delirium”
“None of those drugs helped me personally in the 90s”
“no better at placebo at treating depression but also carries a host of known side effects”
“Increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults taking antidepressants”
“treatment is more helpful than a sugar pill in only 1 out of 6 cases”
“Having seen the reversal myself, it's hard to understand how this is placebo.”
“that kid's going to have his brain chemistry altered and essentially be addicted to a drug”
“For some people, Prozac is a very dangerous drug.”
“since Prozac is cheap and I don't seem to suffer any side effects”
“after taking them for a few months in my 20's, and experiencing how terrible the withdrawal symptoms are when stopping”
“It belongs in the bin of crackpot treatments like chiropractic.”
“so generations were poisoned with side-effects: suicidal ideation, homicidal tendencies, etc.”
“had a psychotic episode described as a "murderous impulse" just after starting a brand new "wonder pill", Prozac.”
“Evidently not for children with depression.”
“after Prozac dosage adjustments made his brain chemistry go haywire”
“No change in my mindset, just the unpleasant side effects when we changed or discontinued my medications.”
Counts come from 1,791,911 Hacker News comments labeled by Claude, November 2025 to October 2026, with data through October 31, 2026. Counts updated 2 Nov 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.