Study Shows Taking Paracetamol Could Be Playing Havoc With Your Emotions

It may be considered one of the safest over the counter tablets, but paracetamol could be blocking out feels of pleasure as well as pain. A new study has found that users taking paracetamol felt less strong emotions than their counterparts, leading researchers to believe the drug could dull not just our pain flinches but our emotions too. Published in the journal Psychological Science, volunteers in Ohio State University gave 82 students either 1000mg of acetaminophen or an identical-looking placebo pill. Students were then shown a series of images to incite emotional responses. The images ranged from pictures of distraught malnourished children to happy children playing with cats. Students were then asked to rate each photos to how positive or negative they felt, with students then giving all the images a second view, rating the emotional impact of the snap. Those who had taken the placebo rated on average two points higher intensity of emotions to each picture (whether happy or sad), while those who had taken the placebo had duller reactions with the average intensity sitting at 5 on the scale of 1-10. Speaking about the results, lead author Geoffrey Durso said, “Most people probably aren’t aware of how their emotions may be impacted when they take paracetamol. “Rather than just being a pain reliever, acetaminophen can be seen as an all-purpose emotion reliever.”