Steroids and Depression

[Seth]

I have been having some symptoms of depression lately and my wife did a search and came up with quite a few links putting the blame on steroids for causing depression. I haven’t read them all yet, but some say that they can affect you long after the cycle is over and may even cause permanent psychological problems.

I did quite a bit of research on the effects of these drugs before I started and I never heard of this before. I understand the effects of drugs like clomid, but can test and other drugs affect your mind like that?

I am starting week 2 of clomid, and I have felt weird on it before, but not this time. I just ended an 8 week cycle of test and 6 weeks of fina. I also took l-dex the whole time and have been taking T3 for 4 weeks. I also take ECA daily. I was very happy with the results of this cycle.

This was my 5th cycle – my 3rd one taking only test and fina. I have taken deca and Dbol in the past as well. I have been doing two cycles a year and I never have felt any depression in the off time before. I usually feel great while on, but this last cycle I have been depressed.

Nothing else has really changed in my life. I still have the same job and I am still broke. There has been depression in my immediate family, but I never thought that it would happen to me.

Just wanted to see if anyone has any information linking or disproving steroids role in depression.

http://www.afpafitness.com/articles/STEROIDS.HTM

 

[JKerry]

clomid makes me very depressed. try some alternative post cycle methods... or just stick it out another couple of weeks and see if it passes once you're finished with the clomid.

jkerry

 

[geoffgarst]

High test levels can cause depression as well as low test levels.

PS: Karma is always welcome here.

 

[bicepts101]

High test levels can cause depression as well as low test levels.

PS: Karma is always welcome here.

hmm...i was unaware that high test levels gave you deppresion

interesting

P.S: Karma hog LOL j/k

 

[MeLikeProp]

i do not get depressed from AAS in general....but if something depressing does happen the effects are about ten times worse
i.e. breaking up with a girl or some shit

 

[malice]

good post.

i just came off and was wondering what to expect. dont get me wrong, im not depressed in any way, but im definitely not up as i was before. im taking clomid and hcg for recovery. it almost feels that i *could* cave in had something major happen. but the bookworm side(4 semesters pysch) of me says that its purely pyschological. hang close with family and friends that you associate warm happy feelings with.

keep your nose clean and your head up bro!

 

[StRoNg_WoN]

I am clinically depressed, and am medicated.

I used Clomid throught the WHOLE cycle, and at the end with no ill side effects other then blurry vision...

weird eh?

 

[Hungry]

I am clinically depressed, and am medicated.

I used Clomid throught the WHOLE cycle, and at the end with no ill side effects other then blurry vision...

weird eh?

clomid throughout the cycle? no bueno.

 

[StRoNg_WoN]

Yes... it helps ward off gyno, and keeps the nutz online...

 

[Citruscide]

I don't think clomid really has an effect on depression. Many people take clomid post-cycle, and hence, get post-cycle depression... not from the clomid, but from lower-testosterone levels.

Just as above average testosterone levels can give you a sense of well-being... lower testosterone levels can give you the opposite effect.

Many times people will be on clomid therapy during their periods of their lowest test levels... hence, giving them a depressive state. This isn't across the boards, as everyone's levels recouperate at a different pace... especially depending on the dose of your cycle.

Therefore, I don't think it is the "clomid" that causes the bad depression, but rather the lower test levels... as if I take clomid while ON test, I don't get any depression...

C-ditty

 

[NorCalBdyBldr]

There was a time when test was prescribed theraputically to treat depression.

Personally, I have not experienced depression on moderate or high amounts of AAS. I have never experienced "roid rage" on anything including tren. either. I have experienced depression off cycle though and assumed that was due to low test levels. Things eventually seem to level out after a while off cycle.

 

[AtLarge]

Clinical depression can set in at any time in ones life. You dont need an excuse. No doubt manipulating your hormonal balances can effect your "sense of well being". Sometimes these sensative regulatory systems can be temporarily of to some degree permantley unbalanced. But in many cases clinical depression may be the result of an inherant biological disposition.
If youve never been "depressed" in a clinical sense early in life, then it often occurs in the early 20's. If your still on clomid, and dont feel better after being completely off for at least 3 months, id seek treatment, or earlier if the symptoms become unbearable.
In my experience mild to moderate depression is not uncommon post cycle, even if youve never had such before.

 

[bigerisbetter]

I get deppressed when I come off a cycle but that is usually due to the loss of strenght and weight. I always feel like I am shrinking when I come off. Even after the first day of being off. I know its in the head but it still sucks.

 

[b1ewsw32]

Great read Seth! Very informative. Although I dont agree with mark regarding his statement that anabolics can cause permanent mental disorders.I think permanent structural damge in the hippocampus area in the brain,and permanent psychosis has been associated with high doses of coticosteroids, and not anabolics.However some research may be warranted to discover if permanent structural damage can occur. via MRI or CAT scans,or altered functional changes with a PET or functional MRI(FMRI) scan.
Also permanent testicular atrophy is possible, but highly unlikely.

I believe that high doses of AAS can cause depression, in genetically pre-disposed individuals through various mechanisms of action:
1.High levels of androgens, including dihydrotestosterone can be over stimulating,possibly by increased dopamine synthesis,causing anxiety,paranoia,phobias and panic attacks with co-responding depresion from a chemical imbalance resulting in diminished serotonin levels.We see this typically with other stimulants as well ie. cocaine, amphetamines,methamphetamine and high dosages of dopamine agonists.
2. Increased blood pressure and hypertension from increased water retention with highly aromatizeable androgens or from increased BP ie. equipoise
3. High test doses without the use of an anti-e allowing supraphysiological levels of estrogen...no good...headaches,irratability and feminization(bitchiness) What degree of mood disorders do you expect when your estrogen levels are 3x as much as a female??
4.Anabolics which are highly progestagenic ie. Deca,Trenbolone
Progesterone is associated with psychotic mood fluctuations and depression in birth control pills with a higher progesterone content(levonorgestrel) or more so with the long acting depo-provera(medroxyprogesterone acetate).
5. natty test shut down resulting in sexual dysfunction.Despite how good your lifting efforts support euphoria, normal regular sexual potency is necessary and healthy for a man's well being.

Here's an interesting article to somewhat support mechanism #1

Neuroscience. 2003;119(1):113-20. Related Articles, Links


The anabolic-androgenic steroid nandrolone induces alterations in the density of serotonergic 5HT1B and 5HT2 receptors in the male rat brain.

Kindlundh AM, Lindblom J, Bergstrom L, Nyberg F.

Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Box 591, S-751-24 Uppsala, Sweden. [email protected]

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are partly misused by males in order to become brave and intoxicated and these agents are highly associated with psychosis, disinhibition, aggression and acts of violence. Since such behavioral states have been related to an imbalanced serotonergic system and the involvement of the serotonergic 5HT(1B) and the 5HT(2) receptors, it was important to discern the impact of AAS on these receptors. The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of 2 weeks of treatment with the AAS nandrolone decanoate at three different doses (1, 5, 15 mg/kg/day) on the total specific binding of the radioligands [(125)I]-(+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) (5HT(2) receptors) by autoradiography. All doses caused a significant down-regulation of the 5HT(1B) receptor density in the hippocampal CA(1) and in the medial globus pallidus and a significant up-regulation of the 5HT(2) receptor density in the nucleus accumbens shell. Alterations in receptor density were also observed in the lateral globus pallidus, ventromedial hypothalamus, the amygdala and in the intermediate layers of various cortex regions. In conclusion, serotonergic 5HT(1B) or 5HT(2) receptors are likely to play important roles in mediating observed emotional states and behavioral changes among AAS abusers.