The SSRI Paradox: What Korea’s 2002 Prescription Restrictions Teach Us About Mental Health Policy

When South Korea restricted non-psychiatrists from prescribing SSRI antidepressants for longer than 60 days in 2002, the nation unintentionally set off a devastating longitudinal case study in public health. This episode examines the clinical correlation between reduced antidepressant access and the subsequent escalation of national suicide rates over the following decades. We dissect the behavioral pharmacology of depression, the critical importance of early intervention, and how restrictive healthcare policies can radically alter patient outcomes.