Depression and Provigil - Discussion

What is the link between depression and Provigil?

Provigil is a commonly used medication to treat people who suffer from excessive sleep, or ES. Some of the problems associated with ES or excessive sleep include narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift-work sleep disorder. Provigil is not recommended for children and some of the side effects of Provigil are as described below.

The physiological side effects of Provigil include skin rashes, hives, skin sores, water retention, difficulty swallowing and breathing, etc. If one experiences any of the symptoms described above, it is advisable to discontinue taking Provigil and to consult the practicing physician immediately. In addition to the above, people might also experience nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, back pain, headache, difficulty sleeping, and dizziness.

Some of the psychological side effects of Provigil include visual and auditory hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, aggressive tendencies, hyperactivity, mania, anxiety, depression, and psychotic symptoms; herein lies the association between depression and Provigil. Since most of these conditions are serious, it is advisable to discontinue taking Provigil and to consult the practicing physician at the earliest, or even to call in for emergency treatment.

Another important instruction to follow while on Provigil is to abstain completely from alcohol and recreational drug abuse, since there could be potential adverse reactions to mixing these substances and pills; it can be very dangerous to mix recreational drugs and prescription medicines.

People suffering from hypertension, cardiac problems, liver and kidney conditions as well as pregnant women should inform the physician regarding their current condition before starting on Provigil.

As discussed above, depression could be one of the side effects of Provigil, and prolonged use of Provigil could result in creating severe problems for people who have a predisposition to depression, a history of bipolar disorder, and also people who are vulnerable to experiencing depression after going through immense stress, emotional and / or physical trauma. Therefore, to avoid this depression and Provigil effect, it is very important to first discuss one’s physical and emotional state with the physician before considering whether to take Provigil.

Useful Depression Resources