What may increase your risk of problems from feeling depressed?

Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to cope with everyday stress. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• Age older than 60
• A history of depression or other mental health problem, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
• A history of suicide attempt
• A family history of depression, suicide, or serious mental illness

Lifestyle choices

• Access to firearms
• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal

Medicines

• Barbiturates, such as phenobarbital, pentobarbital (Nembutal), and secobarbital (Seconal)
• Benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax, or Ativan
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Hormonal medicines, such as birth control pills (oral contraceptives) or hormone therapy used to treat the symptoms of menopause
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection

Diseases

• Anemia
• Anxiety disorders
• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic pain
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Heart disease, including prior diagnosis of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Huntington's disease
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
• Liver disease, such as cirrhosis
• Lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, or asthma
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Stroke