Antidepressants * Anti-Anxiety Medications * Antipsychotics
Mood and Behavior Pharmaceuticals

Paxil and Paxil CR
(paroxetine)

Important

What type of drug is this?

Antidepressant in the class called SSRIs.  * How these work is based on the unproven theory that depression is based on a chemical imbalance of seratonin levels in the brain.  Please see bottom of the page for more information on this theory and the lack of evidence supporting the theories of physical origen (actual disease) associated with depression or anxiety.

When considering whether to take a drug the most important thing you can do is to understand the benefits and the risks.

Since there are no guarantees regarding benefits or risks with pharmaceutical drugs what we are really looking at is potential benefits and possible risks.

Reasons for prescribing:

Here are some of the reasons psychiatrists and medical doctors have for prescribing Paxil.  Please notice there are no physical tests done to indicate need for this drug such as the radiology scans, MRIs or lab tests performed for diagnosing real physical illness like cancer, heart disease or diabetes.  Also a reason for prescribing is not necessarily a benefit if the drug doesn't work to alleviate or cure the conditions for which it's been prescribed.

Used to treat:

depression
panic disorder (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks)
social anxiety disorder (
obsessive-compulsive disorder
generalized anxiety disorder
premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Sometimes used to treat:

headaches
tingling in the hands and feet caused by diabetes
certain sexual problems

According to the government Medlineplus website which is part of the National Library of Medicine:
"Paxil (paroxetine) controls your condition but does not cure it."

*  FDA Advisory Chair on Lack of Evidence for SSRI Chemical Imbalance

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