Social Behavior

Culture has been identified as one of the etiological factors leading to the development of eating disorders. Rates of these disorders appear to vary among different cultures and to change across time as cultures evolve. Additionally, eating disorders appear to be more widespread among contemporary cultural groups than was previously believed.

A New Drug Application was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May for the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant, reboxetine. The manufacturer, Pharmacia & Upjohn, has marketed the antidepressant as Edronax in the United Kingdom since July 1997, and in October 1997 received approval through the European Mutual Recognition Procedure to distribute it in 11 other European Union Countries during 1998.

In 1988 I was working as a general adult psychiatrist with a specialty in addictions. One day, a newly referred patient came to my office accompanied by his mother. Although he was well groomed, he was distinctly "nerdy." When I inquired about his chief complaint, his mother quickly explained that, although he had graduated from community college, he was unable to secure a job interview due to his obsessing on the details of his resume.