After two weeks of taking an acne medication, 19-year-old Joe began feeling tired and unmotivated. He had trouble sleeping and began having crying spells. When Joe went to see his doctor, he was diagnosed with depression. His depression was a side effect of the acne medication. When Joe stopped taking the medication, his depression got better.
In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about isotretinoin, which is the medication that Joe had been taking. The warning stated that isotretinoin can cause depression or suicidal thoughts. Yet, many people still do not know that this drug, along with many others, can cause depression.
Symptoms of depression
Depression causes feelings of profound sadness and lack of interest in activities. Symptoms may include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness
- Hopelessness
- Feeling guilty, worthless, or helpless
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
- Loss of interest in sex
- Feeling tired
- Trouble concentrating, remembering, making decisions
- Trouble sleeping, waking up too early, or oversleeping
- Eating more or less than usual
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Thoughts of death or suicide, with or without suicide attempts
- Restlessness or irritability
- Physical symptoms that defy standard diagnosis and do not respond well to medical treatment
Medications reported to cause depression
Some medications commonly used to treat chronic diseases such as asthma, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, and heart problems, can cause depression. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist if you have recently started taking a medication and have noticed a change in the way you are thinking or feeling.
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Medication or depression: which comes first?
Do certain medications cause depression or are people with depression more likely to take certain medications? The relationship is not always clear.
According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, people who are taking medications that are linked to depression often have one or more chronic conditions, such as cancer or cardiovascular disease, which may put them at higher risk for depression. In addition, people with chronic conditions may be dealing with other factors, such as disability, unemployment, and other stress that may increase their risk for depression.
The elderly may be at higher risk for drug-related depression. Many elderly people are taking more than one medications, and it is possible that some drugs, which do not cause depression when taken by themselves, could do so when taken in combination with other medications.
Talk to your doctor
Most people who take medications will not become depressed. However, if you are taking a medication and have been feeling unusually sad, make sure you talk to your doctor. Also talk to your doctor about any symptoms of depression you may have, even if you are not taking a medication. Whatever the cause, treatment can make you feel better and help you be more productive and better able to live a happier and healthier life.
Article adapted from a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center article.
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