Thread: Depression & AAS/PCT

I'm curious if anyone has issues dealing with depression and uses AAS. I've heard some users say the added test actually helps the depression, but after the cycle it usually worsens. Anyone wanna share your thoughts? Does HCG contribute to a better mood and less depression (whether real or bc you're mentally dreading getting off cycle)? Any resources on this topic would be helpful if anyone has anything they would like to share. Thanks fellas.

What I can say is that I've been pretty emotional at times. Usually it's when I haven't been on any gear for a long time and I suddenly jump into a heavy cycle...hasn't always happened but it did a few times

. I've heard some users say the added test actually helps the depression,

Makes sense I have seen a few studies that suggest an antidepressant effect in testosterone use.

example
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12505808

Testosterone gel supplementation for men with refractory depression: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Pope HG Jr, Cohane GH, Kanayama G, Siegel AJ, Hudson JI.
Source

Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478-9106, USA. [email protected]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:

Testosterone supplementation may produce antidepressant effects in men, but until recently it has required cumbersome parenteral administration. In an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial, the authors administered a testosterone transdermal gel to men aged 30-65 who had refractory depression and low or borderline testosterone levels.
METHOD:

Of 56 men screened, 24 (42.9%) displayed morning serum total testosterone levels of 350 ng/dl or less (normal range=270-1070). Of these men, 23 entered the study. One responded to an initial 1-week single-blind placebo period, and 22 were subsequently randomly assigned: 12 to 1% testosterone gel, 10 g/day, and 10 to identical-appearing placebo. Each subject continued his existing antidepressant regimen. Ten subjects receiving testosterone and nine receiving placebo completed the 8-week trial.
RESULTS:

The groups were closely matched on baseline demographic and psychiatric measures. Subjects receiving testosterone gel had significantly greater improvement in scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale than subjects receiving placebo. These changes were noted on both the vegetative and affective subscales of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. A significant difference was also found on the Clinical Global Impression severity scale but not the Beck Depression Inventory. One subject assigned to testosterone reported increased difficulty with urination, suggesting an exacerbation of benign prostatic hyperplasia; no other subject reported adverse events apparently attributable to testosterone.
CONCLUSIONS:

These preliminary findings suggest that testosterone gel may produce antidepressant effects in the large and probably underrecognized population of depressed men with low testosterone levels.

very interesting. I know low T can take a toll on you emotionally. I know guys who don't pct and often complain about how bad it is coming off cycle. Shit, even some guys that do pct have said the mental part of coming off is worse than the physical. Makes sense. I would be more worried about depression getting severe when coming off bc all the test is suppressed. Plus you have the mental let down of not being on gear. I suffer from depression, so it's probably worse for me coming off. I was asking in another post if HCG during PCT would be better for preventing this. I've never used it before and I'm thinking of adding it in. On cycle I usually feel great. prob attributed to the increase in test.

I just finished up pct so I know what you talking about, although the Clomid, Aromasine was kinder to me. I had added Proviron in to see how it would help, but after reading OB's post in the Proviron thread I believe I had methyl dht(mestanolone).... due to the heart burn I experienced. I did use creatine as members of BOP had advised and, this has helped greatly. One thing I try to keep in mind while going through PCT is once you tuff it out,and take a little break Fresh Receptors!!!! What the mind can concieve the body can achieve.

I can't locate it right now as I am in the office but I remember reading a study in relation to. clomid and depression....

That being said please keep in mind taking hcg will keep you hypothalamus shut down as you will not produce LH while on it. So instead of taking it through out the whole pct do something like the last poster said run a short time to get the gonads functioning and then start the hypothalamus with the use of clomid.

Posted from a phone sorry that I did not cite the studies relayed to this info.

I will have to try the creatine trick during pct my cycle ends in two weeks I'm kinda
nervous about the change mood, that a few people have said is normal

Test helps my depression and Provirion also helps with my mood. 25mgs per day of Prov seems to put me get into the can't wait to do shit mode....