Paxil for Social Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 26, 2019

"Incredible. Paxil is the only medication that works for my GAD, SAD, and stress. Side effects are only sexual. Wonderful drug, what would my life be like without it?! Too scared to think about that. This is an extremely strong anti-anxiety medication that works great. Placebo can go, it does not exist with this."

• Ban...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 1, 2020

"It has been many years since I took Paxil. I took Paxil as a child to help me with my anxiety, specifically social anxiety. I would have terrible stomach aches before and during school because I was so crippled with anxiety. I had a few friends, but never made an attempt to meet anyone new. I was prescribed Paxil, and my life made a 180! I became very social and made a lot of friends very fast. I loved the life I was having! The downside, and ultimately why I stopped, was because I didn't have a care in the world, and that hurt my schooling. I started to get behind on homework, which hurt my grades."

• Can...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 6, 2016

"Been on Paxil since 2012. All in all, there has been good and bad, like any medication. Some side effects people complain about, like tiredness and appetite increase, for me have been to my advantage. Anxiety robbed me of my appetite and sleep. It has helped me with my social anxiety in ways other media didn't. It actually made me want to be more sociable and made me finally see how small my fears were, which I made out to be so unreal. Anyways, now I don't fear public places or people anymore, I feel normal, as I would call it!"

• Sha...
• February 14, 2017

"For years, I felt depressed and shy and had anxiety, but was too young to understand and definitely too shy to say anything. As I got older, I decided to talk to my doctor about how I was feeling. After a few years on and off of antidepressants, feeling so sick I couldn't take them anymore. And now I'm 21, I have been on Paxil for about 6 months. The first month was really hard because I felt so nauseous and shaky, and my heart kept racing and I was extremely tired. But I fought through it all. And today, for the first time, I feel alive, happy, loved, and most importantly, I feel like myself and how I should have felt a long time ago. Please do not drink on this medication or any other antidepressants. It will definitely slow the process down."

• TJ...
• February 13, 2018

"I have been on Paxil for a little over a month now. Taking 20 mg for social anxiety. It has helped me tremendously. From feeling more positive to my thoughts being less overwhelming and much easier to ignore. Especially in times in the winter (when my anxiety is much worse), it has helped to take the edge off. I feel like I am starting to be myself like I was before the SA took over. Would definitely recommend."

• Ris...
• May 31, 2015

"I started taking Paxil about two and a half months ago after many different antidepressants. I was extremely fatigued until the exact 2-month mark, then it was like a light bulb went off. I no longer felt exhausted or depressed. The social anxiety no longer plagued me, though I don't feel it has been a total cure. But overall, I feel really good. Strangely enough, I have no side effects. No sexual side effects. No sleep issues. Nothing. Paxil is my top choice for the antidepressants I have tried. I am diagnosed bipolar and ADHD as well, so I also take an atypical antipsychotic, stimulants, and Xanax strictly for panic attacks. Paxil has really softened the edges for me in combination with everything else I take."

• Djf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2015

"Amazing. Before Paxil, new social situations in my new city at my new job made me almost faint for no reason. I would break out in a sweat and get extremely nervous and rethink how terribly the conversation went until I started Paxil. I'm on the 12.5 mg extended release, which is amazing. The night sweats were bad at first, but now I don't sleep with the same comforter I used to, and they typically never happen anymore. Dreams can be very vivid and intensified, especially if I've drank that evening or taken a Xanax. Overall, it's seriously changed my life for the better, and I haven't gained any weight. One side effect would be sex - for the first month or two, it was difficult to reach orgasm, but now it's back to normal in month 3-4."

• Liv...
• August 26, 2017

"I started taking Paxil 20 mg a few days ago. I just started a new semester at uni and got a new job, and I don't handle stress well at all. I am petrified of social situations, and I'm always 'nervy,' and everything bothers me...literally everything! Very easily annoyed and very easily stressed out, which is all part of anxiety. Anyways, this medicine has worked wonders for me so far. I can actually walk through the halls at uni without feeling the terror. No panic attacks or flu-like symptoms afterwards anymore. So far, I've lost my appetite and have trouble sleeping, but nothing I can't handle. I wouldn't say I feel like a zombie, but I feel relaxed and slightly tired. I'm taking metabolism-supporting vitamins, hoping it prevents weight gain."

• sta...
• December 9, 2016

"I have only been on this medication for about a month, and I've felt the best I've felt in over two years. I feel my self-esteem has increased, as well as toleration of speaking to people and being in crowds. Only thing is that my appetite has gone up somewhat, and I've gained a little weight. But that is only a small price to pay for a happier life."

• Anonymous
• August 29, 2009

"I also have been living with social anxiety for 7 years. After drinking alcohol to cover my anxiety and depression, my symptoms just got worse. I finally looked into lorazepam, but I got a dose of 2 mg, and it just knocked me out. Then I got Xanax 0.25 mg, and that made my face numb, and I didn't like to smile, mainly my face felt weird, and I was always too tired. Then finally I got 20 mg Paxil, and it helped right away. I felt like I could do and talk to anyone at any time. Then I got used to it and jumped to the 30 mg, which is doing alright. But the worst part of using this is constipation. I never had constipation before, and it hurts so bad. I hope this helps."

• Som...
• April 28, 2016

"Changed my life. I can function at work-even facilitate meetings-and have social interactions without the physical 'fight or flight' response kicking in. It does make me tired, and there are some sexual side effects, otherwise, I would have rated 10."

• MEa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2018

"I'm on Paxil one month. Six years ago, I tried a narcotic for social anxiety. It helped me, but addiction is the worst condition you can deal with. After detoxification, I tried Paxil 20. It helped me too for social anxiety, with the absence of euphoria and high, so considered optimum for me. Wish God helps me to maintain positivity."

• JG6...
• March 5, 2017

"I was very hesitant to take medication as I had been raised to associate it with seriously mentally ill people in a negative way. Social anxiety had extreme physiological effects on me, though, that therapy could not fix, i.e., the inability to speak loudly over loud noises or when out somewhere like a club, and premature ejaculation. Paxil basically fixed this immediately. Paxil makes it so much easier to silence negative thoughts automatically. I was and am on a very low dose (10 mg), and it works so well. It really did change my life. The only negative side effects are that it makes me sleepy. It also gave me a weird sensation in my teeth for the first month or so, but I actually enjoyed that feeling."

• jer...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2017

"I grew up with anxiety, but as I got older, it turned into social anxiety and really turned me into an ugly person... I started feeling super insecure about my appearance, had uncontrollable obsessive thoughts, weird fantasies. I believed I wasn't normal.... After getting sick of feeling so insecure and anxious, I knew something was wrong with me. My doctor prescribed me 10 mg of Paxil for the first 2 weeks and 20 mg after. I'm now 4 months and a few days in, and I'm starting to feel much calmer. My attitude towards life is positive! I'm starting to talk more in class, and it's gradually getting better. The first 2 months were hell."

• Joe...
• July 22, 2011

"I took Paxil for 5 years following the death of my father. I suppose I've always felt moderately uncomfortable in sizable groups, and after my dad passed, I was also very down in the dumps. Paxil helped immediately and made me way more sociable than ever before. I had confidence to say what I wanted to say and clearer thoughts than I've ever had. I've now been off for 4 months and am struggling again with the same issues. I've tried turning to herbal remedies like rhodiola, St. John's Wort, 5-HTP, and fish oil. Together, they make me feel alright, I guess, but it's just not the same. If it weren't for the sexual side effects, I wouldn't hesitate to get back on Paxil, but I'd like to get my wife pregnant soon, so this is not an immediate option."

• Pht...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 2, 2016

"I've recently gotten off a 2.5-year Paxil treatment for my social anxiety. My main issue was a sweaty face/body and a red face breakout. I was first prescribed 20 mg, but as nothing changed after 2 months, I was put on 40 mg. It certainly helped. I was quite tired in the beginning, but it got better. I felt the side effects as I gained over 10 kg in the past 1.5 years, and also I didn't have much of a sex drive and it was almost impossible to orgasm (I'm male). Regardless, though, it helped my life for the better. Unfortunately, stopping recently was a bad idea, my anxiety has returned along with a certain feeling of depression. I'll be returning to Paxil starting tomorrow with 20 mg and see how it goes. Regardless of the side effects, etc., it did help me in my life."

• kat...
• February 24, 2017

"Been on Paxil for about 1 month, starting my second. It's been helping me a lot with my panic disorders and social experiences. My mg for Paxil is low, 10 mg. However, whoever is starting this medication, don't get discouraged, it will take time for Paxil to kick in, but it will be worth it in the end. Just set a daily reminder every day to take it."

• Gor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 17, 2020

"I need sunlight or D vitamin to work miracles with the Paxil! Not so good for winter months because they have a sedating approach to the CNS. Good for short or long-term use! Every time it works great! P.S. Add some supplements of fish oil or natural vitamin D for a boost in metabolism."

• Usn...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 15, 2016

"Started on 10 mg. It helped my anxiety a lot, but I would have to take naps during the day or I couldn't function. That improved after several months. I upped the dose to 20 mg. I forgot what it was like to have social anxiety. It was wonderful. The downside to this is that I gained 45 pounds in those 11 months. I'm 5'5. I went from 115 to 160. I've never had issues with weight. I've always had trouble gaining weight. I didn't want to gain this much. No change in my exercise routine or eating habits. I had to go off of it because it was destroying my self-esteem and causing depression. The withdrawals were hell, but I'm gradually losing the weight I gained now that I'm off of it. I'm so disappointed, but hopefully I can find another med."

• Mad...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 24, 2017

"I started this for anxiety and depression, mostly social anxiety. It definitely helped with my social anxiety, but not in a good way. I swear it caused a personality change. I went from being terrified of talking around people to randomly blurting out weird stuff in class and being squirrelly and hyper. I went from this quiet, shy girl to being kind of whacko. I started getting in trouble in class for being disruptive. I was regularly displaying behavior that was inappropriate in public. Weirdest thing ever. I discontinued it, and after a little while, was back to myself. Not sure how common this is? Very strange."

• Anonymous
• May 25, 2011

"I developed an acute social anxiety disorder in my early 20s. After trying 10 mg of Paxil, my doctor upped the dose to 20 mg. I have been taking that dosage for the past 10 years. My social anxiety is much more manageable than it was, although I still have my moments. I hate to increase the dosage, however, because the sexual side effects have been bad for me. Climax is next to impossible unless conditions are perfect, and even then it is a struggle. My sex drive is also down, possibly because of the disappointment the lack of climax creates for me and my wife. Personally, I am happy with the results of Paxil in terms of my social anxiety, but the sexual side effects are rough. Good luck."

• Dee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2016

"I have suffered from all kinds of anxieties, like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, obsessive thoughts, and social anxiety. There are times when you have NO social anxiety, for instance, in my case, even after stopping 25 mg CR version Paxil, there had been no fear of social confrontation, just shyness or maybe low self-esteem or introversion. But when SA attacks again, it's a very gradual process. Even if you notice a slight sign of SA coming back, you try to disprove your own opinion by thinking, ''Now I have learned, this feeling is just stupid, doesn't make sense, and I am definitely not gonna develop a full-fledged SA.'' But when SA comes back, you have no idea but to start taking Paxil again."

• J-G...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 24, 2017

"Paxil definitely works for social anxiety. However, the side effects just became intolerable over time. What are those side effects? Well, for one, you will be tired all the time. Secondly, I found it really hard to focus, and I would forget things that just happened. Thirdly, and most disturbingly, I became a zombie who didn't care about anything and couldn't empathize with people! I couldn't feel any emotions; I couldn't cry. Not only that, but it was also hard to experience positive emotions/pleasure. This phenomenon is called 'emotional bluntness.' I didn't notice that I was experiencing this emotional numbness (and most others don't notice too) until people around me started pointing it out. That's just my experience."

• Kay...
• November 17, 2011

"Helps me with being able to go out without thinking everyone is looking or talking about me, more confident and less hot flushes and palpitations, however, all I do is sleep. I'm going to bed about 8 at night and waking up at half 7, almost falling asleep during work. Great for people who can't sleep well, but for me, I don't want to spend the rest of my life in bed! Also, I would advise not to drink alcohol with this, seriously, blackouts no matter how much you drink. You don't realize till the next morning that you can't remember a thing, which is a horrible experience. Going to try to come off this gradually."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2014

"To the person who recommended NeoCitran, do not take NeoCitran if you're taking Paxil or any other SSRI, unless the form of NeoCitran doesn't contain dextromethorphan. These two medicines have a major interaction that could cause serotonin syndrome, which is relevant to my review of Paxil. My experience with Paxil so far hasn't been the best. Side effects have been pretty bad, and as I also have ADHD, taking both Paxil and Vyvanse has led to some serotonin syndrome-like symptoms. I got mild serotonin syndrome a few days after I started taking Paxil because I had been taking both Paxil and Vyvanse in the morning. I find that if I take Paxil at least 12 hours after Vyvanse, the side effects are minimal and I haven't had any further problems."