We hear more about people who are trying to quit smoking also taking Paxil, an antidepressant in the same family as the better known Prozac. Why has Paxil become the new drug that doctors prescribe to patients wanting to quit smoking?

Doctors started prescribing it to smokers who have a tendency to become mildly depressed when trying to quit smoking. When you are trying to quit smoking and Paxil is prescribed, you should avoid any withdrawal depression that can result from the body's need for the nicotine. Paxil can help take the blues away that one experiences because they are fighting the urge to have a cigarette.

The Issues

Some people have experienced the need to smoke when mixing quit smoking aids and Paxil. There are only a handful of smokers that experience this problem, but it does make your goal of quitting your smoking habit harder. Although this is hard to believe, it does happen to a small amount of people. Some people even refuse to use the drug because of the side effects and what can happen if they keep smoking. It is true, that with many drugs, you should not smoke or drink alcohol or caffeine, but the side effects are mild in most cases.

When you need help to quit smoking, Paxil can help. It will relieve the symptoms of depression, aggravation, frustration and stress. These are all symptoms related to issues surrounding the person try to quit smoking. Paxil is not as harmful as many people think. Your doctor should monitor your use and stop you before you develop any signs of worsening depression. Dependency is another one of the issues people are concerned about when taking the drug. They do not want to become dependent on Paxil. If you follow the doctor's directions and use the quit smoking aid that you are instructed to use, you should have no problems

When you decide to quit smoking, Paxil can help more than it will cause any side effects. If you do experience side effects, you can always talk to your doctor for a different type of prescription. There are different types of antidepressants that can be used with stop smoking aids. It is just a matter of finding the right stop smoking aids and the right drug that will work together and not work against you. Once you have everything in place, you should be able to quit smoking and relieve any stress.