Paroxetine (Paxil)

What the word means

Paroxetine is the drug. Paxil is the brand.

It’s an SSRI, used for depression and for an unusually broad set of anxiety conditions. It has a reputation that’s worth knowing about, because it explains a lot of what people say about it online. Paroxetine has a short half-life and it’s the SSRI most strongly associated with discontinuation syndrome, which means stopping it too fast tends to be rougher than stopping most of its siblings. It’s also more anticholinergic than other SSRIs.

None of that makes it a bad medication. It makes it a medication that deserves a careful taper.

Where to read the full guide

Shrinktionary defines the word and stops there.

Read the full paroxetine guide at PsychiatryRx, which covers uses, side effects, and how to come off it safely.

Related terms you’ll see next

• SSRI
• Discontinuation syndrome
• Taper
• Half-life

When to seek professional care

If you’re coming off paroxetine, plan a slow taper with your prescriber rather than stopping, because this is the one where going fast is most likely to make you miserable. Tell your prescriber about new agitation, worsening mood, or thoughts of self-harm after starting or changing the dose. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, get help right away by calling 911, or call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Paroxetine (Paxil):</strong> Paroxetine is an SSRI antidepressant, sold as Paxil, used for depression and a wide range of anxiety disorders. It's the SSRI most associated with difficult discontinuation.</p>
  <p>&mdash; <a href="https://shrinktionary.com/terms/paroxetine/">Shrinktionary</a>, a plain-English mental health dictionary, medically reviewed by a board certified psychiatrist.</p>
</blockquote>