Can prescription drugs cause depression?
Yes. In fact, many prescription drugs can predictably generate depression as a side effect. Some of the most common medications leading to depression are those used in treating heart conditions, like beta-blockers.
But there are others as well. These include, but are not limited to, central nervous system depressants, corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, and cancer chemotherapy agents. Anyone taking such a drug, and certainly any professionals who treat patients taking them, needs to understand the potential effects of these agents on mood.
Certain prescriptions may need to be changed. If they can’t be changed for some reason, then having a better understanding of the drug’s relationship to any significant mood changes can help individuals better cope with and make informed decisions about the various alternatives available to them in managing their medication regimen. Therefore it’s vitally important to have good communication with your prescribing physician and to bring up any mood changes you notice when following a prescribed course of drug treatment.
