What is it, what is the use and side effects for

What is it, what is the use and side effects for

Paroxetine is a drug that helps the individual to maintain mental balance. Specifically, it is used as a treatment for depression, panic disorders, social anxiety disorders, for obsessive-compulsive disorder or also in cases of generalized anxiety disorder, among others. It must always be prescribed by a healthcare professional.

¿You have heard of that medicine? ¿You know its side effects? In this Psychology-online article we will understand What is paroxetine, its contraindications, its benefits and its side effects for.

You may also be interested: Side effects of long -term index paroxetine
  1. What is paroxetine
  2. What is paroxetine for
  3. What are the side effects of paroxetine

What is paroxetine

Paroxetine is a medication that is part of a type of drugs known as Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, A substance that aims to treat depression and other mental and psychological diseases.

The main function of paroxetine is to increase the amount of serotonins, a natural substance that our brain already possesses and, thus, Help the individual maintain mental balance.

Generally, the individual who begins a treatment with paroxetine receives the prescription of an initial dose of 10 mg or 20 mg per day. Later, if necessary, the doctor has the tendency to increase at a dose of 20 mg or 50 mg per day.

Paroxetine is a substance that is usually prescribed for use in the morning. It is only prescribed to take at night in cases that the individual present drowsiness during the day and is necessary to treat it.

What is paroxetine for

If you wonder what paroxetine is for, its objective is to improve and balance the mental state of the individual. This substance is indicated to treat the following disorders:

  • Depression: Serious mood disorder. In this article, we tell you how to get out of deep depression.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Paroxetine helps the individual with his intrusive thoughts and with the need to perform some actions in a compulsive way. In this article you will find more information about the obsessive-compulsive disorder,
  • Social Anxiety Disorder: If you want to know how to treat it, in this article we give you advice to overcome social phobia.
  • Vital anguish disorder: Let and or without agoraphobia, here you will see how to overcome vital anguish.
  • Generalized anxiety disorder: Paroxetine serves to treat the extreme fear of the person to interact, the excessive concern difficult to be controlled and other symptoms that prevent leading to a normal life. Discover more about generalized anxiety disorder.
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder: The paroxetine helps the person with the psychological symptoms that are developed after a traumatic and frightening event. Do not miss this article if you want to know how to help a person with post -traumatic stress disorder.
  • Panic disorder: Help in those sudden and unexpected attacks of extreme fear and concern. Discover the symptoms and treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia.
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder,
  • Embarrassment in menopause: For sudden heat sensations during this vital stage, especially in the face, neck and chest, paroxetine is not always effective.

There are some cases in which paroxetine is recommended for chronic headaches treatments, tingling in the hands and feet, caused by diabetes, and certain male sexual problems.

What are the side effects of paroxetine

¿What effects produces paroxetine? The use of paroxetine can produce some conditions as a reaction to medication. Let's look at the side effects of paroxetine:

  • Drowsiness.
  • Sexual dysfunction.
  • Congenital malformation in fetuses.
  • Headache.
  • Dizziness.
  • Weakness.
  • Difficult to focus.
  • Nervousness.
  • Confusion.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Constipation.
  • Flatulence.
  • Stomachache.
  • Decreased appetite.
  • Loss or weight gain.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Sweating.
  • Yawn.
  • Light sensitivity.
  • Back pain, muscles or any part of the body.
  • Sensitivity or inflammation of the joints.
  • Blush.

It is relevant to add that paroxetine can produce the Withdrawal syndrome, that is, when the medication is abruptly withdrawn, especially in people who have taken high doses for a long period of time. That syndrome entails the appearance of dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety or insomnia from 48 or 72 hours of having retired the drug. To avoid this, the treatment must be supervised by a healthcare professional.

Contraindications of taking paroxetine

According to the patient's situation, it is not good to take this medication. Let's look at what are the contraindications of taking paroxetine:

  • In pregnant women: Paroxetine offers an increased risk of congenital malformations in fetuses. Therefore, that substance is not advisable to be used during pregnancy. The doctor should look for other alternatives and treatment proposals for women in that condition.
  • Mix with other drugs: The use of paroxetine associated with other medications can also cause dangerous side effects.
  • In cases of diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease and hemorrhagic disorders: We must pay attention to the use combined with other drugs that affect the platelet function. In these cases, paroxetine can also produce psychomotor agitation in the first weeks or suicidal thoughts in patients with a history of this type of behavior.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Paroxetine: What is it, what is the use and side effects, We recommend that you enter our category of Psychopharmaceuticals.