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Psychiatric effects can appear even in people without a history of mental illness.

Higher corticosteroid doses are associated with a greater risk of psychiatric adverse effects.

Higher corticosteroid doses are associated with a greater risk of psychiatric adverse effects.

Corticosteroids, commonly called steroids, are widely used to treat inflammation and a range of medical conditions. Drugs such as prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone, and methylprednisolone can be highly effective, but their effects are not limited to the part of the body being treated.

For some people, corticosteroids can also affect sleep, mood, behavior, and other aspects of mental health.

A person who starts a corticosteroid may suddenly find themselves sleeping much less, feeling unusually restless, becoming irritable, or experiencing changes in mood that seem difficult to explain. Because the medication is being used to treat a physical condition, these changes may not immediately be recognized as a possible adverse effect.

How Can Corticosteroids Affect Mental Health?

Corticosteroids have a structure very similar to cortisol, a hormone naturally produced by the adrenal glands that plays an important role in the body's response to stress. Like cortisol, corticosteroids act on glucocorticoid receptors, which are found throughout the brain and play a role in mood, cognition, sleep, and emotional regulation.

The psychiatric effects of corticosteroids can vary considerably. While some........

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