Q & A with filmmaker Phil Lawrence | September 2006

What are you trying to accomplish?
On a personal note, I have taken Paxil for 10 years and I am ready to see what kind of person I am without the drug in my system.

Big picture, I want people to get a glimpse of what it’s like to live under the influence of SSRIs, specifically Paxil. It’s not always a pretty picture like the commercials show…there can be a dark side – and I think people need to be aware that the decision to start taking these drugs should not be taken lightly.

I am also concerned about the safety of SSRIs. They (the government) just warned Doctors about the increased risks of suicidal thoughts in children prescribed to SSRIs – that scares me. 30 million people in the US alone are taking Antidepressants – that scares me. The fact that I’m one of them – scares me even more.

Are you concerned about the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting Paxil?
To be honest, it scares the hell out of me. I plan on working with a number of physicians and therapist to ensure the process is as safe and comfortable as possible for my family and me.

Why do you want to chronicle this process?
There are a lot of people in my same situation (I mean A LOT!) so my goal is to document my experiences, good or bad, and let people see first hand, what the consequences can be when taking (and quitting) an SSRI like Paxil.

Continued on page two