4 Common Medications May Increase Depression Risk

Many Americans may be suffering depression due to frequently prescribed drugs

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Depression is a significant mental health issue, affecting about 21 million Americans, roughly 8.4 percent of the U.S. population. Medications commonly prescribed for unrelated conditions can increase the risk of developing depression as a side effect.

Dr. Timothy B. Sullivan, chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital in New York, told The Epoch Times that various mechanisms have been suggested to explain this problem.

“But the range of medications involved, and their disparate mechanisms of action, suggests that it is unlikely that we will identify a specific cause,” he said.