Medications for Bipolar Disorders Treatment

Mood Stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are the gold standard in pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder. Most patients start out with lithium due to its high rates of efficacy in the treatment of both depressive and manic episodes experienced by bipolar patients.

Anticonvulsants are often utilized for the purposes of mood stabilization as well. Though their initial purpose was the treatment of seizures, they have been proven to be helpful in managing moods among bipolar patients. Some anticonvulsants commonly prescribed for this use include:

• Depakote
• Tegretol
• Lamictal
• Trileptal

Antipsychotics

Atypical antipsychotics can be used to help patients manage symptoms caused by bipolar disorder. In most cases, these are used in combination with other medications. Commonly prescribed antipsychotics include:

• Zyprexa (especially for the treatment of psychotic depression, which can be characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and other severe symptoms)
• Abilify
• Risperdal
• Geodon
• Clorazil
• Latuda

Antidepressants

Depression can be a serious issue for patients living with bipolar disorder, and a number of different types of antidepressant medications can be effective in helping patients to manage these symptoms. Some of the more commonly prescribed antidepressants for this purpose include:

• Zoloft
• Prozac
• Paxil

When prescribed for the treatment of bipolar disorder, they are never prescribed alone, however, because they can have the effect of triggering a rapid switch from depression to mania and back again, which can be hugely disruptive. Mood stabilizers or antipsychotics are always prescribed with antidepressants for the treatment of bipolar disorder when antidepressants are prescribed.

Side Effects and Risks

Though none of the medications prescribed to treat bipolar disorder are addictive, they can come with certain side effects that are problematic for patients. Depending on the type of medication and the dose as well as the combination of medications taken, some patients have a difficult time adjusting to the use of these pills; some even feel that they would rather deal with the extreme mood swings and erratic behavior that define bipolar disorder than struggle with uncomfortable and sometimes disruptive and dangerous side effects.

Substance Abuse

Especially when bipolar disorder patients are not on their medication regimen, substance abuse can become an issue. Some seek to medicate themselves using illicit substances in an attempt to find balance while others prefer to augment preferred moods (especially the manic phase) through the use of drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, the usual result is a slew of problems caused by ongoing drug abuse, which can include:

• Problems at home
• Legal issues
• Increased difficulties maintaining employment
• Acute and chronic health problems
• Overdose
• Accident
• Death

Intensive Treatment

Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that requires intensive treatment and when it co-occurs with drug addiction or substance abuse, a Dual Diagnosis rehab plan that treats both conditions is recommended. Contact us today to learn more about the comprehensive care that will help your loved one heal.