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Depression Strongly Correlated with Taking Three or More Common Drugs Simultaneously

posted by janrinok on Saturday June 16 2018, @01:01AM   
from the happy-pill dept.

MichaelDavidCrawford writes:

1 in 3 Adults In The U.S. Take Medications That Can Cause Depression. These drugs already list depression as a possible symptom:

If you take Prilosec or Zantac for acid reflux, a beta blocker for high blood pressure, or Xanax for anxiety, you may be increasing your risk of depression.

More than 200 common medications sold in the U.S. include depression as a potential side effect. Sometimes, the risk stems from taking several drugs at the same time. Now, a new study finds people who take these medicines are, in fact, more likely to be depressed.

The list includes a wide range of commonly taken medications. Among them are certain types of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (used to treat acid reflux), beta blockers, anxiety drugs, painkillers including ibuprofen, ACE inhibitors (used to treat high blood pressure), and anti-convulsant drugs.

I often take Zantac or Rantab for acid reflux. I used to take the beta blocker propanolol for the hand tremor caused by the anti-convulsant Depakote.

About 15 percent of participants who simultaneously used three or more of these drugs were depressed. By comparison, among participants who didn't use any of the medications, just 5 percent were depressed. Even those who used just one of these medications were at slightly higher risk of depression: About 7 percent were depressed.

See also:

• Washington Post
• Journal Abstract

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Original Submission

• Re:So the more stuff wrong with you... Re:So the more stuff wrong with you... (Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @01:30AM (2 children)

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @01:30AM (#693813)

  The more likely you are to feel "depressed"? Sometimes feeling down is pretty reasonable.

  These's a big difference between "feeling down"and "depression". Depression is a heavy, wet blanket that restricts your ability to do things or to get things done. It's persistent and enduring. It's a terrible feeling and getting control of it is always just beyond your reach. It is simply exhausting and overwhelming.

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• Re:So the more stuff wrong with you... (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @04:37AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @04:37AM (#693852)

  I use a rather simple method that I learned from reading Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppenwolf_(novel) [wikipedia.org] while still 14 years old.

  Basically, one sets a date when he is going to kill himself and the life suddenly becomes way more bearable because there is a known end of suffering. Worked wonders for me as I keep changing the date.

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• Re:So the more stuff wrong with you... (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @06:45AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 16 2018, @06:45AM (#693870)

  that restricts your ability to do things or to get things done.

  So kinda like cancer?

  Parent