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So how do these drugs work?

First of all, let’s understand that the root of all depression is anxiety. Anxiety is when a person worries either needlessly or irrationally. They lack self confidence and they doubt their own abilities. When they are constantly worrying then depression can set in.

The biggest drug weapon against depression are a new class of drugs called SSRIs. These work to change serotonin levels in the body. They are a very intelligent class of drugs because they work directly on the brain chemistry.

Actually, your brain chemistry is responsible for your moods and your thoughts. Just look at people who have a hot temper or are always in a good mood. You’ll find that their brain chemistry is very different from the next person.

These antidepressant drugs change the brain chemistry but what is the effect on the person? They worry less because they “no longer care”. This is a common phrase used by someone on antidepressants. They just “don’t care anymore”.

Actually, this is a very positive outcome. It is only due to the stresses of modern life and the competition for our time that we develop anxieties and stress. These modern drugs allow us to “care less” in the way that our ancestors approached their daily life.

Paxil is one of many brand names for Paroxetine and also commonly known as Seroxat. It is used widely throughout the world since its release in 1992.

It is one member of the huge family of SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These were a new class of antidepressants that were found to be mostly better prescribed compared to their ancestors, the tricyclic antidepressants.

Paxil in particular was so popular that in 2006, it was the fifth most prescribed medication in the US with nearly 20 million prescriptions.

This is because Paxil does a very good job in general and has benefitted a great number of people with mental illness.

Unfortunately, it also has a number of side effects that have been reported widely amongst those who are trying to come off their medications. Compared to all other SSRIs, Paxil has the most reports, so much so that the term “Paxil Withdrawal Symptom” has been used to describe it.

Sufferers have said that when they wean themselves off the drug, they experience what are described as “electric shock” sensations in the head. Also reported are cases of suicidal thinking in children and adolescents.

A whole raft of legal cases against the manufacturers, GSK, have taken place since the first reports of Paxil withdrawal symptoms.

The best advice for someone on Paxil who wants to come off it is to consult their doctor who may prescribe a secondary SSRI to assist in coming off Paxil.

You’ve probably heard many people say “I’m depressed”. Well, these types of people are normally not depressed at all but simply unhappy. This is due to overuse and exaggeration of the word “depressed”.

In terms of a medical condition then “clinical depression” is a different kettle of fish altogether.

It can take many forms but the underlying theme to all of them is the severity and the need to act quickly to control it.

For instance, I have a friend who had a nervous breakdown. Until you see this for yourself then you cannot understand just how devastating it can be. My friend looked like a zombie and probably felt like one too. With true depression like this, the brain chemistry plays a huge part.

A course of drugs is definitely recommended in these cases. Usually these days, a drug such as an SSRI is commonly prescribed. There are many different types of SSRIs available such as Seroxat, Paxil and others and they all have slightly different indications and effects.

People can become depressed in other ways too but, as I mentioned earlier, the common theme between them all is just how severe the effect on a person is.

In these cases, drugs are recommended but, in general, drugs are prescribed far too often by doctors. People have spoken of a “Prozac generation” in the past. Prozac just happens to be one of the most commonly prescribed drugs by doctors and, whilst it is effective, one has to question just why the doctors are so quick to prescribe it – are there really that many truly depressed people in America?