From the moment of your first fever as an infant, your parents probably gave you acetaminophen. Also known as Tylenol, this drug is universally taken for almost any ache or pain. In fact, hundreds of medications have some form of acetaminophen within their ingredients. Researchers have studied this drug for many decades, but new information is being discovered in regards to emotions. Currently, scientists believe that acetaminophen can affect your mood in a profound way.
Basic Use
You've probably taken acetaminophen several times in your life without even knowing it. This drug is commonly used to reduce inflammation in the body. Aches, pains and injuries are much easier to deal with when you don't have a lot of pain involved. Acetaminophen also reduces fevers, which makes it a favorite for infants. Because of this medication's widespread use, it's important for researchers to continue with their studies. Although acetaminophen has been around for many years, most experts didn't know that it affected mood. This side effect may be stronger in some people while nonexistent in others.
Powerful Psychological Effects
Current findings suggest that people taking acetaminophen are feeling muted emotions. Researchers experimented with people by showing them images of both disturbing and exhilarating situations. People who had an acetaminophen dose had a very mild response compared to others taking a placebo. These findings mean that people have a distorted view of reality when they take acetaminophen. A gruesome death portrayed in an image is just as benign as a picture capturing a tree on a hillside. As a result, mood is definitely affected by this drug.
Side Effects Common in Any Drugs
It's important to note that there are side effects to every drug. You may have felt normal while taking a medication, but there were probably side effects that you just overlooked. Researchers believe that people using acetaminophen haven't noticed this muted, emotional response. By learning more about acetaminophen and advertising the facts, people will be more aware of their reactions in the future.
Narrowed Down to Emotions
Researchers were concerned about acetaminophen affecting people during their rational decisions, such as choosing a career path to follow. Another testing sequence was started, and researchers discovered that acetaminophen only affected people when it came to their emotions. This discovery is encouraging because moods would be otherwise affected too much by just one medication. With emotions being the target area, scientists can formulate a plan to reduce this side effect's efficacy.
If you notice any ill effects while you use acetaminophen, stop taking the drug and contact your doctor. This medication is widely regarded as a safe product, but everyone has a different body chemistry. As scientists learn more about this medication, they can notify the public of their findings. Mood alterations are definitely a side effect that you want to know about right away.
