Prozac Nation - Elizabeth Wurtzel

Ms Wurtzel is a stroppy, self-obsessed, hysterical and precocious author, who writes as though she’s penning Judy Blume-style teen McFiction with extra obscenities, and adult content on the side. This was her first book, written at 26, and describes her ongoing battle with depression. The narrative is reminiscent of a stamping, tantruming, screaming toddler, constantly demanding, and inherently needy. But despite the natural aversion to her, the story is somehow compelling. I read Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar some years ago, and that intense horror and despair that Plath captures so exquisitely is also present in Prozac Nation. The delivery is ...  Read the complete review

There’s something about depression, or manic-depressive illness, that immediately seems to make people think of good art or literature. There’s always been a stereotype that those who suffer from mental illness are also possessed of creative faculties beyond those of the fortunate unafflicted. Indeed, one of the leading experts on the manic depression, Kay Redfield Jamison, has written a lengthy book on the subject. Whatever the truth of this cliche, it is common to read or hear someone praising the work of suffering author because it ‘describes exactly how it feels’. The two main authors who come two mind are, of course, Sylvia Plath and ...  Read the complete review

Prozac Nation is an autobiographical book by Elizabeth Wurtzel about her experiences of suffering from depression. Although I actually bought this book when I was studying depression in psychology, it also had more of a personal value in it, with people I know having killed/tried to kill themselves, and myself being a self harmer, although I refuse to say I am depressed. Having just finished reading it for the first time, there were many things in the book which I found spoke to me, and I could find myself relating to. Some of the strange feelings which Wurtzel seems to talk about, some of the hopelessness of situations, I could find myself ...  Read the complete review

Prozac nation was published in 1994, written by Elizabeth Wurtzel. The book is autobiographical, documenting Elizabeth Wurtzels experience with depression. Firstly, before I start talking about the novel itself, I want to say that this book meant more to me than any other book I have ever read in my life. In my teens, I suffered badly with depression. One of the worst things about my illness, was I felt that no one in the world could relate to me. Some could say that this is conceited, but it was more a feeling of complete and utter isolation. I was completely and utterly sure that I was broken. I had never spoken to ...  Read the complete review

Prozac Nation is a true to life portrayal of Elizabeth’s life in the USA, written first hand. It starts off in her childhood, in the 70’s, when she is only around 8 or 9 from when she still feels normal to when she starts to feel the depression first kicking in. Her parents separate when she is pretty young and she gets sent away to Summer Camp for months on end which she dreads. During one of these Summers as a child of only 9 or 10 she takes her first overdose, not enough to do any real damage, but enough to be recognised as a cry for help…. She also spends long periods of time sitting in the toilets at school cutting her legs, however she can hide this all too well. ...  Read the complete review