logo
Can medications cause depression?

Can medications cause depression?

Several types of medication may increase a person's risk of depression. However, some have a higher risk in combination with other medications, and some drug classes have closer links to depression than others.Medications can help to manage a variety of health problems. However, many medications can have side effects that may cause other health issues for the individuals taking them.For some medications, such as anxiety or antiseizure medications, this can include depression. Depression is a health condition that causes ongoing low mood, hopelessness, low self-esteem, and a reduced urge to take part in activities a person usually enjoys. Can certain medications impact mood?Some medications may increase the risk of depression or suicidal thoughts as a side effect. Health experts may refer to this as substance-induced mood disorders or drug-induced depression. However, the American Society of Health-system Pharmacists (ASHP) note that it is not clear how common this is.A 2018 study notes that depression became more common in people who took more than one medication that listed depression as a possible side effect. The results indicate:Taking no depression-linked medication carried a depression risk of 5%Taking one depression-linked medication increased the risk from 5% to 7%Taking two medications increased depression risk to 9.5%Taking three medications had a depression risk of 15%However, people in this study also had a higher risk of having a chronic health problem and being widowed, both of which increased depression risk. Many of these medications also aim to treat symptoms of underlying depression, including pain, sleep issues, and anxiety.Help is out thereIf you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:Call or text the 988 Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Caring counselors are available to listen and provide free and confidential support 24/7.Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor for free and confidential support 24/7.Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.If you're calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.If you're not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.Antiseizure medicationsPeople who take medications to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures, known as antiepileptic drugs, may have an increased risk of depression as a side effect. These might include:levetiracetamphenobarbitalprimidonephenytointiagabinetopiramatevigabatrinA 2021 review notes that in 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that antiseizure medications may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, according to the ASHP, studies on the link between antiseizure medications and depression often do not use a placebo due to ethical considerations.The same 2021 review, which uses placebo-controlled data, suggests that people who took brivaracetam, cannabidiol, cenobamate, eslicarbazepine, and perampanel did not experience significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation or action than those who took a placebo.Not all antiseizure medications risk depression as a side effect. In fact, some may act as mood stabilizers for people with conditions such as bipolar disorder, including carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and sodium valproate. Some studies have shown that carbamazepine and phenytoin may be effective in managing depression.Anxiety medicationsSome medications to treat anxiety list depression as a possible side effect, particularly a class known as benzodiazepines. These might include:alprazolamdiazepamlorazepamThese medications reduce central nervous system (CNS) activity. As a result, they reduce the body's physical reactions to anxiety, such as sleeplessness and panic. However, they can contribute to addiction. As such, depression may be both a direct side effect of taking benzodiazepines for anxiety, and a symptom of withdrawing from benzodiazepine use.Blood pressure medicationsMedications to control blood pressure, such as beta-blockers and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), may have links to an increased risk of depression. A 2018 study suggests that beta-blockers and PPIs were the most common combination of medications that list depression as a side effect.However, a 2020 study found that calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers actually reduced the risk of depression in people with high blood pressure. Birth control medicationsPeople may take hormonal contraception to prevent pregnancy. These pills increase estrogen and progesterone levels, which can affect the levels of brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin that affect mood.Newer birth control medications providing the forms of estrogen available in the body may have a less significant connection to low mood than earlier forms. A 2022 review linked depression risk to the type and amount of progestogen in a contraceptive. The following progestogen-only medications had higher links to mood changes and depression symptoms:levonorgestrelmedroxyprogesterone acetatenorethisteronedrospirenoneAccording to the ASHP, depression is the most common reason that people give for stopping hormonal contraception use. However, they also suggest that not much significant evidence is available to support increased rates of depression in those using birth control medications compared to the rate of depression among the general population.People with a history of depression who are considering hormonal birth control may wish to consult a physician about the risks.Pain medicationsPeople take opioids to manage severe or chronic pain. The medications connect to opioid receptors in the brain to block pain signals.However, taking prescription opioid medications to manage chronic pain has a close link to major depressive disorder. A 2021 study found that people with an increased genetic risk of using prescription opioids also had a higher risk of depression.Opioids also have strong potential for misuse and can cause withdrawal symptoms when a person stops using them. Drug misuse and withdrawal can both contribute to depression.Around half of all people who take opioids also have depression and anxiety disorder, according to a 2022 systematic review. The review found that taking increasing doses of opioids over a long period can increase depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder risk.This may be due to stigma, isolation, worsening physical health, and reduced quality of life. The opioid system also plays a role in mood regulation, so medications that disrupt this could directly trigger mood disorders.Stopping or switching medicationsPeople who experience depressive symptoms since starting a medication can consult a doctor about alternative prescriptions or other treatments. They may be able to reduce a dosage or find different medications or classes that can achieve similar desired effects without significantly affecting mood.Suddenly stopping a medication can lead to a sudden increase in symptoms of the condition a person was taking the medication to treat. It might also cause withdrawal in the cases of benzodiazepines and opioids. As such, it is highly advisable to consult a doctor on how to stop taking a medication safely.SummarySome medications may contribute to depression in several ways. This effect becomes more pronounced if a person uses several different depression-linked medications at the same time.These medications may increase the risk of depressive symptoms due to how they interact with the brain, central nervous system, or hormones. Alternatively, withdrawal symptoms due to stopping drug use might also trigger depressive symptoms.If a person starts to experience depressive symptoms, they can consult a doctor about changing medications, stopping a prescription altogether, or reducing dosage.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bristol Palin shares surprising update on her facial paralysis after scary six-month ordeal
Bristol Palin shares surprising update on her facial paralysis after scary six-month ordeal

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Bristol Palin shares surprising update on her facial paralysis after scary six-month ordeal

Bristol Palin took to Instagram on Saturday to give her 549,000 followers an update on her facial paralysis ordeal. The 34-year-old mother-of-three announced in a reel, 'My face is slowly getting better.' She estimated that it has been '200 days' since she was first plagued with the mystery condition, but made a correction, writing that she was actually at day 194. Bristol — who recently talked about her 16-year-old son Tripp's academic future — was clad in a black T-shirt, skirt, aviator-style sunglasses, and a trucker hat from her brand Boyhart in the clip. She appeared to have gained mobility and improved symmetry in the brief snippet. The media personality, who is the daughter of Alaskan politician Sarah Palin, first revealed the condition in January. Bristol Palin took to Instagram on Saturday to give her 549,000 followers an update on her facial paralysis ordeal The 34-year-old mother-of-three announced in a reel, 'My face is slowly getting better' And in mid July she posted photos of her lopsided visage and took questions from curious online fans. She said to one follower, 'I woke up and it was paralyzed, completely out of the blue - no warning, wasn't sick, didn't get the v@x, no recent Botox... just paralyzed.' Another person asked how she was handling the situation on an emotional level, to which Bristol replied, 'I feel like I'm handling it well. I can't look at pictures of myself right now.' She estimated her face was 'probably like 70% back to normal.' At the beginning of the year Bristol said her doctor believed she has a case of Bell's palsy — which is temporary paralysis or weakness of the facial muscles — as the tests she'd undergone had turned up 'nothing.' Just weeks later she said she'd seen very little improvement as the health crisis went past the three-week mark. 'We're on day 23 of this, which is absolutely insane,' she said in February. 'Can't move the left side of my face at all. It's really hard to blink. I can't blow out a candle. My sisters makes so much fun of me because I look crazy.' In an attempt to correct the condition, she said she'd undergone acupuncture, massage therapy, oxygen chamber treatment and red light therapy, as well as cutting out 'most of the processed foods' in her diet. Bristol spoke about her ongoing bout with facial paralysis in series of posts Thursday on her Instagram Stories. The media personality, who is the daughter of Alaskan politician Sarah Palin, first revealed the condition in January When asked how she was handling the situation on an emotional level, Bristol replied, 'I feel like I'm handling it well. I can't look at pictures of myself right now'; pictured in January She added that she was 'eliminating most caffeine' in her daily regimen. In July a social media user asked Bristol why she hasn't been spending much time on Instagram lately. 'Maybe it's just me - but IG feels self absorbed the older I get,' Bristol explained. 'I LOVE connecting with y'all and having friends on here but I don't love posting a whole lot.' She said she would try to share more with her followers if there was a purpose-driven opportunity. 'Maybe when I have more house projects and I'm playing bob the builder – I want to show you guys but right now I enjoy an offline quiet little life,' she said. In addition to Tripp, she is mom to two daughters: Sailor, nine, and Atlee, eight. She shares the girls with ex-husband Dakota Meyer.

Doctors say 20,000 women a year - some as young as 30 - may need their healthy breasts removed to avoid cancer. Here's how to find out if YOU are one of those facing an agonising dilemma
Doctors say 20,000 women a year - some as young as 30 - may need their healthy breasts removed to avoid cancer. Here's how to find out if YOU are one of those facing an agonising dilemma

Daily Mail​

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Doctors say 20,000 women a year - some as young as 30 - may need their healthy breasts removed to avoid cancer. Here's how to find out if YOU are one of those facing an agonising dilemma

It is a difficult decision that, until now at least, relatively few women have been forced to make: having their healthy breasts removed to prevent breast cancer. Their options are stark – face the prospect of a disease that has likely affected and even killed women in their families, or undergo a surgery described by doctors as 'medieval' and 'mutilating'.

How to make carbs healthy... what you should always do before eating your favorite dish
How to make carbs healthy... what you should always do before eating your favorite dish

Daily Mail​

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

How to make carbs healthy... what you should always do before eating your favorite dish

Carbohydrates have gained a bad reputation over the years, with links to weight gain and chronic disease. But health experts say a simple hack could make carbs one of the healthier options on the menu and even help you to lose weight. Dr Michelle Routhenstein, a registered dietitian specializing in heart disease at told Daily Mail that cooling your carbs before eating can change the way your body processes them and make them healthier. She explained: 'Letting pasta cool after cooking increases its resistant starch content. This type of starch is digested more slowly, which leads to a smaller rise in blood sugar and more stable energy levels. 'It also nourishes beneficial gut bacteria, which produce compounds that reduce inflammation and support insulin sensitivity.' Dr Routhenstein says after cooling carbohydrate-heavy dishes, such as rice, potatoes or pasta, they can be reheated and they will still have the same effect. This simple trick can help support weight management by reducing inflammation and promoting fullness, which leads to eating less, However, Routhenstein warns that the amount of pasta you eat and what you pair it with, such as fiber, protein, or healthy fats, has an even greater impact on blood sugar and overall health. Therefore, she recommends trying keeping portion sizes small and pairing with healthy sides, such as vegetables. Dr Drew Ramsey, a leading nutritional psychiatrist and author of Healing The Modern Brain, also told he is a big fan of the 'cooling carb' technique. He said: 'I now have zero guilt about my extreme love of reheated pasta. 'This can be done with bread and potatoes too making this an easy was to improve the health quotient of the starches in your diet.' And New York-based personal trainer Natalya Alexeyenko revealed it is something she recommends to her clients who are trying to keep trim. The fitness expert recommends cooking pasta al dente - when pasta is cooked only until it is slightly firm - and letting it chill in the fridge overnight before reheating it the next day. 'Adding healthy fats, fiber, or protein can further lower the glycemic impact,' she added. Studies have shown incorporating cooled carbs into everyday meals can help people manage weight, boost gut health and prevent energy dips. Even cooled carbs that have been reheated have the same effect, as resistant starch remains intact. Therefore, it offers the same blood sugar benefits as eating it cold. Another recommendation is to meal prep, so cooled carbs are ready and available in advance. And finally, pairing a pasta dish with protein and fats can further boost muscle recovery and support weight management. Dr Chris van Tulleken, a UK-based infectious diseases doctor and author of 'Ultra-Processed People', wrote for 'When the normal starch in white bread and pasta is digested, it's turned into sugar almost as fast as if you drank the same amount of sugar in a sweet drink. 'This is because normal starch is made up of tangled chains of glucose sugar molecules that are broken down into single sugar molecules extremely easily in your gut, and then quickly absorbed. 'If this sugar isn't burned off, it is turned into fat.' He explained the difference with resistant starch is that some of those glucose chains are no longer broken down in your small intestine, where food is normally broken down and the nutrients absorbed, and instead reaches the large intestine. Here, it is broken down more slowly, meaning blood sugar levels don't rise as high and people feel fuller for longer. Once the resistant starch has been fermented by bacteria in the gut, it turns into chemicals called short-chain fatty acids. 'These have a wide range of benefits, such as preventing heart disease and possibly lowering blood pressure,' Dr van Tulleken said. Research published in 2023 found that cooking pasta al dente also helps people lose weight, as it slows the rate at which they eat. Meanwhile, a 2019 study testing three different types of pasta showed cooling the dishes and reheating them lowered their glycemic index (GI). Foods with a low GI - such as non-starchy vegetables, most fruits, legumes, and whole grains - generally release glucose into the bloodstream more slowly, helping to regulate blood sugar levels and making you feel full.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store