Pills that damage the brain and cause stress or depression

The more medicalized a society is, the sicker. There are studies that indicate that a third of the diseases are related to the inappropriate use of the medication that we take specifically and in a highly protocolized way for some ailments.

7 side effects of drugs on the brain and emotions

We are in a hypermedicalized scenario in which the side effects of medications and their interactions multiply without ceasing.

The wrong medical approaches, the urgency, the pressure of the pharmaceutical companies, the irresponsibility of public administrations and the influence of the media make up the perverse landscape of a society that is more pilled than ever and, at the same time, paradoxically, less healthy in part due to its overexposure to drugs.

Among these damages to health is the cognitive and emotional deterioration produced by some psychoactive drugs.

But they are not the only medicines with side effects on the brain, many other medicines that we regularly resort to They can cause anxiety, stress, loss of memory and concentration, changes in mood and how we relate with others and with ourselves.

If we add to this the bad habit of self-medicatingif you do not follow the prescriptions of the specialist, it is possible that various neuronal disorders are suffered without knowing that the medicines that are being taken are causing them.

1. Antibiotics kill good bacteria.

The revelation that the stomach is one of our “second brains”(its 100 million neurons support such a nickname) implies that stomach problems, which are on the list of side effects of hundreds of medications, must logically and negatively affect the functioning of the brain.

Especially delicate is the impact of antibiotics on the microbiota. Its excessive use can increase our stress level and, consequently, alter our behavior.

2. Mood-altering drugs

Some drugs significantly affect our mood and its repeated use can make us feel listless, irritable, aggressive…

antihypertensives. Unfortunately, the consideration of mental health in the clinical practice of hypertension is minimal. For this reason, widely used medications such as calcium antagonists and beta-blockers (commonly used antihypertensives) have unwanted effects on mood.statins. Used to lower cholesterol, it is described that they can cause irritability.Benzodiazepines. They are the most used drugs for anxiety, they can predispose you to suffer unpleasant “rebounds” of anger, anguish, irritability, memory difficulties…stimulants. Its abuse, (within a short period of time) can cause feelings of hostility, paranoia and even psychotic episodes.And also… other medicines, such as asthmatics, antacids, some heart medicines, epinephrine, metoclopramide and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, can be responsible for mood swings and bad mood.

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3. High anxiety or low reflexes

Many drugs are known to directly affect our cognitive responses and favor the degree of stress causing the following emotional states:

Anxiety. It usually occurs due to external relational factors, but there is also an “endogenous” type (due to internal causes) that has to do with changes in the nervous system. If the drug acts on any of its neurophysiological bases, the brain can make you respond as if it were exposed to stress.
So, the antiasthmatics They cause tremors and nervousness. AND drugs used in chemotherapy and immunosuppressants (They are prescribed in case of performing an organ transplant to avoid rejection) are common stress enhancers. Cases of anxiety have also been observed after the continued consumption of antibacterial and some heart medications.Confusion, decay and lack of concentration. There are several drugs that cause these disorders, but it is the antidiarrheals and antihistamines that have this effect most frequently.Loss or gradual diminution of reflexes. It is usually related to the use of many medications: anxiolytics, analgesics, hypnotics, antihistamines, antidepressants, antimigraines, antiangina, statins, opioids, antiasthmatics, and antihypertensives.

4. They promote depression

There are many drugs that are suspected of promoting depression. Among them are those used to control nausea and vertigo (antiemetics and cinnaricin), anticonvulsants, bronchodilators, certain anti-inflammatories, antithyroid drugs, corticosteroids and, in some women, oral contraceptives.

Added to this long listAccording to the latest studies, the adverse effect of staninsanti-asthmatics, medications to control hypertension and even those that combat baldness.

5. They worsen our memory

Some common antipsychotics can cause brain changes, but memory is also affected by medications of all kinds.

Memory lapses. Anticholinergic drugs (common in the treatment of asthma and incontinence) and others that have this effect, such as some antidepressants, ranitidine, diazepam, some inhalants and antihypertensives, can lead to memory lapses. This occurs because these medications affect acetylcholine levels, a fundamental substance for the proper functioning of memory.Active memory loss. Similarly, anxiolytics, antacids and antihypertensives act on the central nervous system and can reduce short-term memory capacity.Decreased ability to memorize. Sleeping poorly or not resting properly affects your memory capacity. Drugs that induce sleep (such as benzodiazepines and other psychotropics) mean that rest is not of quality, since They prevent access to REM sleep.

6. They promote dementia and Alzheimer’s

The higher consumption of anticholinergic drugs such as antidepressants or those indicated for allergy or bladder control, the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is increased.

This effect may not be reversible even if the medication is discontinued.. The threat continues no matter how many years pass. Finally, prolonged use of antacids and tranquilizers also increases the risk of suffering from senile dementia.

7. They can induce suicide

Methylphenidate (Ritalin’s basic principle) is classified by the US Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule II narcotic: the same classification as cocaine, morphine and amphetamines.

Methylphenidate is prescribed to children with ADHD, even though it can have serious side effects and the manufacturer itself warns that it is addictive.

In a way, it is like an initiation to the consumption of amphetamines: For a few years, there have been reports linking methylphenidate to suicidal thoughts and impulses.

Along with Ritalin, benzodiazepines are often used as substitutes for illegal drugs. Another growing trend is consuming these drugs through dosages that are not indicated: snorting, smoking, injecting or ingesting authentic overdoses.

This extremely risky use of benzodiazepines It extends to the effects suffered by the central nervous system when consumption is stopped, since it usually produces a symptomatic picture of depression, anxiety and sleep disorders that is increasingly related to the suicidal tendencies of its users: the youngest.