Interview Narration In basic terms, there are a variety of ways in which an individual can respond to a new object or substance. Indeed, for an individual to develop a new behavior towards something, such an individual first undergoes a transformation of sorts where he or she eventually develops new conceptions regarding the said substance and its nature. In this text, I come up with a narration of a Paxil user whom I interviewed. In the later sections of the paper, I will seek to interpret what the interviewee said.

My subject in this case, Peter, has been using Paxil for the last three months. The same was prescribed to him after he suffered a major depression. In brief, Paxil has been in use for quite a while now and though it is considered relatively effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression, it does occasion some major side effects upon those who use it. To minimize the risk of adverse effects after taking the drug, users should inform the doctor of any pre-existing medical conditions including but not limited to a history of epilepsy, kidney disease as well as bipolar disorder. Some of the drug's documented side effects include headaches, coordination loss, high fever, bleeding considered unusual (i.e. via rectum or mouth), hallucinations and uneven heartbeats. There are also other less serious side effects of Paxil and they include ringing sensation in ears as well as mild nausea. Further, it should also be noted that while Paxil does interact well with other drugs, it doesn't work well with others.

Given the complexity of the drug as highlighted above, it therefore follows that a user should be well briefed on every relevant aspect of the same. As I was interviewing Peter, I had the opportunity of asking him a number of questions regarding his interaction with Paxil. To gauge his understanding of the drug and its workings, I sought to find out from him if he had indeed researched on the side effects of Paxil once the same was prescribed to him by the doctor. According to Peter, though he did not conduct a formal research about the drug and its side effects, he did ask an old friend of his, Jonathan, who had in the past used the drug how it worked and if indeed it was effective in the treatment of depression. Jonathan was the one who had prevailed on Peter earlier on to seek medical attention owing to his depression and feelings of anxiety. However, it was after Peter started experiencing some strange body reactions including a mild headache and a feeling of nervousness that he consulted Jonathan.

I also sought to know how careful Peter was when consuming Paxil. Though he admits he wasn't as careful when he first started consuming the drug, he agrees he has gradually managed to take the drug seriously. In his opinion "I did experience difficulties when I first started taking the drug…. I wasn't as committed at first as I am currently." On pressing him further on the particular difficulties he encountered when he first started using the drug, Peter quips "I am not certain I was using the drug as the doctor had prescribed. For instance, there were times I completely forgot to take the same during the recommended time." His friend Jonathan (the one I mention earlier on) also played an instrumental role in helping Peter adapt and develop the conception that the drug was indeed necessary if he were to effectively rein on his depression. Given Peter's initial reaction towards the Paxil, I was also interested in knowing whether he had taken another drug in the past to treat depression and anxiety. On enquiring about this, I gathered that he had sought professional help before but this was the very first time he had an antidepressant prescribed for him. When I asked him how often his doctor recommended that he takes this drug and if it was ongoing, I was impressed he had carefully listened to the advice of his doctor as he was well briefed on both how the medication was to be taken and the period of time it would take for him to stop its usage (though he initially evaded my questions when I sought to know how long it would take for him to stop using Paxil). According to Peter, he had been instructed by his doctor to take one tablet a day. Peter preferred to take...

He was also quick to add that he regularly consulted with his doctor when for one reason or the other he had to take prescription medication. That he told me he had to do so as to avoid a situation whereby Paxil could adversely interact with other medications. I later cross-checked whether this was indeed the way the drug was supposed to be taken and indeed it was On whether the drug was to be ongoing, Peter was as I have already noted non-committal on this one. However, on pressing him harder, he offered that his doctor had earlier warned him against quitting the drug without first consulting him as suddenly discontinuing the use of Paxil could result in some serious side effects. Peter was however quick to add that he was in no hurry to stop using the drug as in some way, he was certain the same had benefited him greatly.
When I sought to enquire whether Peter had talked to anyone else (except his doctor and Jonathan) about his using of Paxil, he was non-committal. I later gathered that he had not talked to anyone about the same apart from the two individuals already mentioned. Though it was clear from our interaction that Peter had eventually come to learn a lot about the drug including but not limited to why he was taking it, the recommended dosage and what to avoid wile on medication; he was still reluctant to talk about the drug and his experiences with others. Indeed, as the interview progressed, I had to utilize quite a number of probing techniques to get him to open up to me. His reluctance to talk about his situation can also be gleaned from his refusal to talk to others except Jonathan about the same. It is also important to note that he only consulted Jonathan after experiencing some side effects which in his opinion then could have been occasioned by the use of the drug. Further, it might also help to note that Peter sought Jonathan's opinion owing to the fact that he (Jonathan) had opened up to Peter earlier on about having used the drug while he was an adolescent. From what I gathered, Jonathan was at that time being treated for panic disorder.

As I concluded the interview, I sought to find out if Peter was keen on stopping the usage of the drug. I must say I was relatively surprised by his answer. While he was happy that he felt better than before now that he was on Paxil, he went on to add that he was better off using the drug in the long-term and hence that he did not foresee a situation where he could do without it. In his own words, "we are lifetime members now and we have gotten so used to each other. We can't do without each other," he joked. What surprised me so much was not his joke but his resolve to continue using the drug, perhaps even after he had gotten better. Thus in a way, he was either becoming dependent on the drug, or a new behavior altogether had emerged from within him that had effectively transformed the conceptions he held before regarding Paxil. This explains the reason why Peter was in no hurry to stop using Paxil. Because he did not foresee a situation where he could do without the drug, Peter had chosen to learn as much about the drug as he could. This came across as being relatively strange to me. At that moment I was convinced that perhaps his comment was an indicator of a bigger deep-seated problem. This is especially the case given that Paxil is neither considered habit forming nor addictive.

Peter's current interest and knowledge regarding the drug was hard to fathom given that he had not even bothered to read the medical insert that came with the drug earlier on. In fact, Peter read the insert long after he had consulted with Jonathan regarding how he was feeling.

An Interpretation of What the Interviewee Said

From the interview discussion above, it is possible for one to identify key concepts regarding both how new acts within individuals take root as well as how an individual develops a new behavior towards either a substance or an object based on newfound conceptions. Further, it can also be noted that Peter's rejuvenated interest in Paxil and his resolve to continue using the same regardless of the fact that Paxil was originally meant to help him overcome depression and anxiety is…