Patients and doctors remain largely unaware of the long-term consequences of [finasteride] on the nervous system and mental health.

Patients and doctors remain largely unaware of the long-term consequences of this drug on the nervous system and mental health.  Unfortunately, some of the side effects of finasteride are more serious and persistent than the original condition it is intended to treat… [W]e encountered a surprising association between finasteride use and presence of optic neuropathy or retinopathy… To worsen the situation, the neuropsychiatric impact of finasteride—changes in mood and behavior—can alter practitioner perceptions about affected patients, resulting in a psychosomatic diagnosis.

—A Letter Regarding Finasteride: SouthBayRetina.com, May 2021