Depression, anti-depression medication and steroids
I recently received a PM from one of our members who had questions about depression, anti-depression medication and steroids. Since this is an issue that often comes up, I am posting an edited version of my response to his PM, in hopes that this will help others who are considering the same things. I also hope that others who have experience in this area will add to the discussion.
Here is my response (edited version):
Proper PCT does not necessarily prevent depression in all cases. It's using steroids in general that can cause changes in your body that may increase or decrease your depression. PCT may reduce the chances of post cycle depression, but it does not guarantee that you will not suffer depression.
Before you were prescribed anti-depression medication, did your doctors do any hormone level testing? Depression can be bought on by decreasing test levels (even in a young guy like you). Sometimes psychiatrists and psychologists (the ones with minimal, regulated ability to give prescriptions), start prescribing medicine before they think about some of the other factors such as hormone levels. Anyway...you know your situation far better than I. I just wanted to make sure you consider that.
Steroids affect everyone differently. You may find that steroids imprvove your sense of well being while cycling (this one of the reasons steroids are addictive). You may also find that during or after a cycle you get thrown into fits of deep depression. No one can tell you wich will happen to you. The only way to find out definitely is to experiement.
There are many people who are on steroids who are also on anti-depression medication and they are doing quite well. You should search the posts or post your own question about this to see if you can get other people who are on depression meds to talk to you about this.
I don't know what your depression history has been. If the depression has been significant enough to disrupt your life, then you should consider that when deciding whether to cycle. In other words, now that you've found a medication combination that works, do you want to mess it all up by adding steroids to the mix? Finding the corect combination of anti-depression meds that works for you can be a laborious and uncomfotable process. Once you find the right medication coctail, it's not fun having to start over because of hormone imbalances, etcetera.
You wrote in your email to me, "maybe I can be talked into this." Well, I'm the last person that would try to talk you into using steroids, especially since you are on medication for depression. You have to make that choice on your own. There are going to be people that tell you very convincingly that they KNOW you will have no problems, take that kind of blind advice with a grain of salt while you remember what I've told you: steroids affect each person differently. If you're willing to take that chance, then go for it. But, be prepared to stop using them if you start to have problems.
If you decide to use steroids, then here are some suggestions to consider (this is not an exhaustive list of considerations, just a few to get you started):
1. Stay away from the harsher steroids that shut you down hard such as all versions of Trenbolone (Tren). What I mean by "shut you down hard" is that your natural testosterone production may stay repressed for a long time after a cycle due to properties of steroids like Tren.
2. Although mild, EQ (Equipoise) is known to cause extreme anxiety in some. Anxiety and depression is not a good combination.
3. Start out with a mild cycle of testosterone-only and see how your body reacts. Then, if you decide to cycle again, on your second or third cycle you can stack one other compound with testosterone to keep tabs on how the new steroid affects you. It's helpful to stack steroids for synergy, BUT just remember that you don't have to stack steroids. If done properly, a solid testosterone-only cycle will help you grow quite fast.
4. Some people find that the short acting esters (such as testosterone propionate [Prop]) throw their body into a roller coaster of hormone fluctuations and cause depression in some. Others find that prop is great, do your research and decide. Generally short acting esters of steroids are not recommended for new users since it requires frequent shots, but it doesn't mean that they cannot.
5. On the other hand...The benefit to using Prop or other short acting esters would be that if you begin to have any difficulty, you can stop the cycle and the products will be essentially out of your body within 2-3 days. If you have problems using long acting esters, then you may have to wait 2-3 weeks (or more) before everything BEGINS to calm back down.
6. Most people who have experienced constant depression know the warning signs of a true depressive episode. So, listen to your body...if you feel yourself slipping into a true depression, take action FAST and end your cycle. Don't wait until you're mired down in deep depression.
Keep me posted on what you decide to do and let me know if I can help.
Best of luck to you,:lift:
BASK8KACE
