Scott Alexander presents results from an SSC Survey on SSRI usage, covering effectiveness, side effects, and discontinuation experiences among 2,090 users. Longer summary

Scott Alexander presents the results of an SSC Survey on SSRI usage, covering their effectiveness, side effects, and discontinuation experiences. The survey included 2,090 SSRI users and explored various aspects of SSRI use. Key findings include: most users found SSRIs helpful, with Lexapro rated highest and Paxil lowest; SSRIs seemed more effective for anxiety than depression; 70% of users experienced side effects, with sexual difficulties being most common; 15% reported persistent side effects after discontinuation; and discontinuation difficulty varied among different SSRIs, with Prozac being easiest to discontinue. The survey largely confirmed existing psychiatric consensus, with the high rate of persistent side effects being the main surprise. Shorter summary

Scott shares and comments on various links covering science, politics, and culture, with topics ranging from automation's effect on employment to psychology's replication crisis. Longer summary

This is a collection of interesting links and brief commentaries by Scott Alexander. He covers a wide range of topics including scientific studies, current events, and cultural phenomena. Notable items include studies about employment and automation, discrimination research methodology, problems with student course evaluations, and psychology's reproducibility crisis. The post also includes quirky items like Dutch swearing customs and unusual products, maintaining Scott's characteristic mix of serious analysis and lighter observations. Shorter summary