Paragraph four reads: "The 23-year-old said her life now is very different from seven or eight years ago when she used to cut her legs, arms and tummy, burn herself, pull out her hair and overdose on anti-depressants and paracetamol."

SSRI Stories note: On May 7th, 2000, the Boston Globe reported : "The patent for the new Prozac or R-fluoxetine (US Patent no. 5,708,035), which Lilly will market after the existing patent expires in 2001, contains a wealth of information about the original Prozac. According to the patent, the new Prozac will decrease side effects of the existing Prozac such as headaches, nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia, as well as "inner restlessness (akathisia), suicidal thoughts and self-mutilation" - the same effect Lilly has contended has not occurred in any substantial way in some 200 lawsuits against it over the past decade. Most of the suits were settled out of court and the terms kept confidential."

The new Prozac was never marketed.

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/homenews/Self-harming-volunteer-YOPEY-award/article-1358643-detail/article.html

Self harming volunteer up for YOPEY award

Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 06:50

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A WOMAN who uses her ordeal of years of self-harming to help others has been nominated for an award.

Heather Williams volunteers at Harmless, a charity that supports people and their families who self-harm.

Heather helps by using her personal experience to talk to people about their problems, and help others understand self- harming.

The 23-year-old said her life now is very different from seven or eight years ago when she used to cut her legs, arms and tummy, burn herself, pull out her hair and overdose on anti-depressants and paracetamol.

Heather, of The Meadows, has been nominated for a Young People of the Year Award (Yopey), which recognises the work of young people to improve their communities.

She said: "I'm so surprised to be nominated. It's a real shock, I would never have expected it, I'm just a normal person.

"At times I never thought I would ever overcome self-harm.

"And now it's a real privilege to be able to help and support people who are struggling with self-harm and want to overcome it."

Heather was nominated for the award by Caroline Roe, director and co-founder of Harmless.

She said: "Talking about mental health problems and self-harm is sheathed in stigma and shame.

"So to actively act against this, despite how hard this is for Heather, is a massive achievement.

"Our project would not be the same without her, and she is having a massive impact upon this growing problem, simply by saying 'you can get better.'

"Mental health is such a difficult subject to talk about and self-harm is even worse, creating stigma and isolation for those that are recovered as much as for those who are still struggling, so her commitment to working for the good of people who self-harm takes great courage, and is a very different kind of achievement."

The Yopey awards ceremony is at County Hall on December 10. To find out more see www.yopey.org.uk

claire.carter@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk