This is the first in a series of articles about the science of various aspects of college life.
Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, has increased among college students since 2007. But the medications, widely used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, have recently gained negative traction. Skepticism has increased amid recent criticisms from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services.
But what does “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor” mean, and how do these drugs work?
SSRI medications, which include Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro, involve serotonin, a “natural neurotransmitter” — a molecular messenger similar to a hormone — synthesized by all humans, according to Adam Pallant, the clinical director of Student Health Services. Serotonin is important for a variety of bodily functions, including mood regulation and sleep.
“The SSRI medications inhibit the ‘reuptake’ or metabolic breakdown of these natural molecules, allowing for more durable and sufficient presence of the serotonin to do its work,” Pallant explained. The more durable serotonin can help “alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.”
Lawrence Price, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior, explained that when they were first released, SSRIs were meant to replace tricyclic antidepressants — a different class of antidepressant drugs — as the first line of treatment.
SSRIs are better tolerated and have fewer side effects than the older tricyclics. SSRIs also pose a lower overdose risk.
“These new drugs were safer, they were much easier to use (and) the dosing was more straightforward,” Price said.
SSRIs have been the “standard of care” for almost 40 years, he added. Their uses have expanded beyond treating depression to addressing anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Obtaining a SSRI prescription typically starts with an evaluation with a clinician, such as a psychiatrist or primary care provider, Price explained. If the professional determines that the patient could benefit from using an SSRI without health concerns, the clinician prescribes the medication and continues to monitor progress.
At Brown, students seeking SSRI treatment or psychotherapy can reach out to Health Services. The department has clinicians who have “the capacity and expertise to prescribe SSRI class medications,” Pallant wrote. Many SSRI medications are stocked by the Brown pharmacy.
Antidepressants are commonly used across age groups, but some studies suggest that younger people on SSRIs — the most frequently prescribed antidepressant — may experience an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors. But not all research agrees about this risk, according to Price.
Still, Price said that among the psychiatry community, there is a “greater reluctance” to prescribe them to people younger than 25 years old.
According to the Mayo Clinic, SSRIs pose potential risks to patients’ appetite and sleep, potentially causing anxiety and other discomfort. Price emphasized that side effects can be mediated via follow-ups with physicians, and that the medication can be quickly discontinued if suicidal thoughts begin to occur.
Even with the potential risks, SSRIs have proved useful for some students at Brown.
Bryson Boone ’27, a leader of student mental health organization Brown Active Minds, shared that SSRIs were “life-changing” for him, and that he didn’t “trust” medication until he gave SSRIs a chance. Boone added that he has seen improvement in his mood since starting SSRIs.
Michael OuYang ’26, a leader of one of Brown’s suicide prevention and mental health clubs, No Empty Seats, said that while he is not on SSRIs, using antidepressant medication has been “monumental” in aiding his mental health. He also emphasized the importance of destigmatizing mental health treatment via medication or therapy.
On Feb. 13, President Trump issued an executive order establishing the “Make America Healthy Again” Commission. One of the commission’s charges is to “assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants and weight-loss drugs.”
Kennedy, chair of the new commission, has attacked SSRIs and their use among young people, falsely claiming that they are more addictive than heroin, The Hill previously reported.
For the time being, Health Services will continue to operate as usual, according to Pallant.
“We will have to see if the Department of Health and Human Services or any of its committees will make changes to our prescription capacity or clinical approach,” Pallant wrote. “It is just a big unknown at this point.”
Boone expressed concern about Kennedy’s anti-SSRI rhetoric building stigma about using SSRIs or seeking mental health support.
But for Boone, “if we’re so scared about SSRIs, it doesn’t mean we should eliminate them … it means we need to research them more.”
Francesca Grossberg is a staff writer covering Science and Research. She is a sophomore from New York City studying Health and Human Biology.
