Beyond pain relief: how paracetamol may be diminishing your empathy and joy
Recently I came across some fascinating research on one of our go-to painkillers – paracetamol – used widely for headache and migraine. Not only does paracetamol dull our pain, but it looks like it also inhibits our capacity for empathy and joy.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. The heartbeat of healthy relations, empathy enables us to connect with and support one another emotionally and plays a crucial role in fostering healthy relationships and a compassionate society. However, recent research has suggested a surprising connection between a commonly used pain reliever, paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen), and a potential reduction in empathy.
Paracetamol (or Panadol as known here in Australia) is one of the most widely used over-the-counter pain relievers globally. In Australia, more than 60 per cent of people aged over fourteen purchase it at least once a month. However, researchers have begun to uncover evidence suggesting this common medication may have an unexpected side effect: it might reduce empathy.
A study published in the journal "Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience" in 2016 shed light on the potential empathy-dampening effects of paracetamol. The researchers conducted a series of experiments where participants took either paracetamol or a placebo, followed by engaging in activities designed to measure their empathy levels. The results were intriguing. Those who had taken paracetamol consistently scored lower on empathy assessments compared to the placebo group.
"We don't know why acetaminophen (paracetamol) is having these effects, but it is concerning," said Way, the study's senior author.
"Empathy is important. If you are having an argument with your spouse and you just took acetaminophen, this research suggests you might be less understanding of what you did to hurt your spouse's feelings."
However, one explanation could be that paracetamol is a powerful suppressor of oxytocin and vasopressin – neuropeptides that play a role in social processes such as behaviour, emotions, parental care and closeness and general trust and cooperation.
In the study, those who took two 500mg tablets of paracetamol in the morning showed reduced empathy. If the dose was doubled to take 2 tablets at night, the effect of reduced empathy was also doubled. The more paracetamol the subjects had, the less they cared about others. In particular, their positive empathy was reduced – the ability to care when positive things happen to others – which influenced the joy someone can feel.
Interestingly, in the years since paracetamol became widely used, researchers have found that empathy levels in the population have dropped by up to 40% in some studies. Of course, this could be due to various other factors, such as the rise of social media, technology that disconnects us physically from others and a reduced sense of community.
it is interesting to ponder whether the widespread use of paracetamol contributes to the reduction of empathy in our society.
Regardless of how paracetamol affects our population's general levels of empathy, the biochemistry is clear: paracetamol makes us care less about our fellow humans. It makes us less empathic.
Now, of course, there are times, particularly when you are struggling with migraine, and you need to get through the day… medication has a place. But understanding the side effects is important so we do not compromise our overall well-being.
Journal Reference: Dominik Mischkowski, Jennifer Crocker, Baldwin M. Way. From Painkiller to Empathy Killer: Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) Reduces Empathy for Pain. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2016; nsw057 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw057