Are Your Medications Changing Your Personality?

Have you ever felt not quite yourself? Ever say or do something that seemed so completely out of character that even you weren’t sure what happened? A medication could be to blame. It might sound like something out of a science fiction story, but it’s true: What’s in your medicine cabinet could be changing your personality. From aggression to changing the ability to empathize or exacerbating compulsive behavior, these changes aren't anything to trifle with.

Drugs, Side Effects and the Brain

Side effects for medications can be numerous, and how they strike can vary depending on a person’s individual makeup. Some side effects might be merely annoying, like dry mouth or drowsiness, while others can be fatal. But emerging evidence shows that several different types of drugs could cause dramatic, sometimes even terrifying, changes to people’s personalities.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Pain Relievers

When you pop an NSAID, you’re probably not looking to reduce any emotional angst while you crush that headache. One study suggests OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen could have a dampening effect on users’ emotions. They may even change a person’s entire social experience, possibly to the point of hindering their ability to empathize with others.

Parkinson’s Disease Medications

There appears to be a higher instance of compulsive behaviors among people who take dopaminergic medications, which are used primarily to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. While the disease itself can predispose some people to compulsive behaviors, the medications used to treat it may tip a person’s odds of developing a full-blown impulse control disorder, such as compulsive gambling. Parkinson’s patients who are prone to lying, bizarre thoughts or heavy cynicism may be at an increased risk for this side effect.

Antiepileptic Drugs

Some drugs that help people with epilepsy experience fewer seizures may also be making them aggressive. This may be due to the numerous neurotransmitters, including GABA, serotonin and dopamine, which antiepileptic drugs can affect. People who are easily agitated should take these types of medications with caution.

Statins

These cholesterol-reducing wonders are probably the last meds most of us would suspect when it comes to affecting personality, but researchers have found a clear connection. Continual use has led some people to suffer depression, violent thoughts, moodiness and even to commit or consider committing suicide. Researchers speculate that statins could even be behind the destruction of some marriages and careers.

Antimalarials

Antimalarial drugs prevent and treat malaria and malaria-like illnesses, and they can also reduce the symptoms of some autoimmune diseases like lupus. People taking antimalarials, particularly those used to prevent disease transmission, may develop psychiatric manifestations that include depression, anxiety, phobias, delusions and hallucinations. Antimalarials may also make users more apt to harm themselves or other people.

We still have a lot to learn about pharmaceuticals and the full range of their side effects, but one thing is certain: No matter what medications re being considered, we should use them with caution and pay attention to more than the usual side effects. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about any side effects, even if you don’t think they’re related, and listen to yourself when you start to wonder if something doesn’t feel right. Your medications could be affecting you more than you realize.

Copyright 2020, Wellness.com