What Are Mood Stabilizer Drugs

Depression in bipolar disorder can be hard to distinguish from other forms of depression. Antidepressant medications can be effective; however, they must never be used alone with bipolar disorder as they can also cause a person who is depressed to switch into mania. Antidepressants may also lead to more frequent mood episodes, known as rapid cycling. This risk is lessened if the person is also taking a mood stabilizer.

What Are Mood Stabilizer Drugs

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How mood stabilizers work is not fully understood. It is thought that the drugs work in different ways to bring stability and calm to areas of the brain that have become overstimulated and overactive, or to prevent this state from developing.

The side-effects of mood stabilizers vary depending on the type of medication. With some medications, side-effects are kept to a minimum through regular monitoring of the level of the drug in the blood. Some people experience no side-effects. Others may find the side-effects distressing. Side-effects usually lessen as treatment continues.

The oldest and most studied of mood stabilizers is lithium. However, many drugs that were first developed as anticonvulsants to treat epilepsy also act as mood stabilizers. These include carbamazepine, divalproex and lamotrigine. Gabapentin and topiramate are also anticonvulsants that may act as mood stabilizers, but they are usually given in addition to other medications.

Mood stabilizers can help prevent further episodes of mania or depression. In other words, staying on these medications for the long term can help to keep you well. Going off mood stabilizers, on the other hand, can greatly increase your chances of having another episode.

While mood stabilizers are not addictive, when you take them (or any drug) over months or years, your body adjusts to the presence of the drug. If you then stop using the drug, especially if you stop suddenly, the absence of the drug may result in withdrawal effects or in return of symptoms. With mood stabilizers, the withdrawal effects are generally mild; the greatest risk with stopping these drugs is the return of symptoms.

Drinking coffee or other beverages that contain caffeine can lower lithium levels and increase tremor. If you want to dramatically change how much caffeine you have in a day (e.g., cutting back from four cups to one cup of coffee a day), check with your doctor or pharmacist first to see if your mood stabilizer dose should be adjusted.

Street drugs can complicate your situation and create problems. Cocaine and amphetamines, for example, can trigger an episode of mania or depression. Marijuana could lift you up or it could bring you down; its effects on mood can be unpredictable, especially when combined with bipolar disorder. Using any street drugs (or alcohol) regularly to modify your mood increases your risk of addiction.

Mood stabilizers were developed and tested on adults. While most of these drugs are not officially approved for use by children and teens, professional guidelines direct their use in this age group. Lithium is approved for treating manic symptoms in children aged 12 and older.

As people age into their 60s and older, their bodies become less able to eliminate medications. This means that older people who take mood stabilizers need to have the drug levels in their blood measured more often than younger people. Those taking lithium also need to have their kidney and thyroid function and heart rate monitored more frequently.

Mood stabilizer drugs are primarily used to treat people with bipolar mood disorder. If you have mood swings that are affecting your energy, sleep, or judgment, talk to your doctor. If appropriate, your doctor may put together a treatment plan that may include mood stabilizers.

Keep in mind that the term "mood stabilizer" can be misleading. If you take one, your mood can still change during the day. These medicines treat full episodes of mania or depression that last for several days or weeks at a time.

A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, such as bipolar disorder and the bipolar type of schizoaffective disorder.

Mood stabilizers are best known for the treatment of bipolar disorder,[1] preventing mood shifts to mania (or hypomania) and depression. Mood stabilizers are also used in schizoaffective disorder when it is the bipolar type.[2]

The term "mood stabilizer" does not describe a mechanism, but rather an effect. More precise terminology based on pharmacology is used to further classify these agents. Drugs commonly classed as mood stabilizers include:

Many agents described as "mood stabilizers" are also categorized as anticonvulsants. The term "anticonvulsant mood stabilizers" is sometimes used to describe these as a class.[5] Although this group is also defined by effect rather than mechanism, there is at least a preliminary understanding of the mechanism of most of the anticonvulsants used in the treatment of mood disorders.[citation needed]

Most mood stabilizers are primarily antimanic agents, meaning that they are effective at treating mania and mood cycling and shifting, but are not effective at treating acute depression. The principal exceptions to that rule, because they treat both manic and depressive symptoms, are lamotrigine, lithium carbonate, olanzapine and quetiapine.[citation needed]

Antidepressants cause several risks when given to bipolar patients. They are ineffective in treating acute bipolar depression, preventing relapse, and can cause rapid cycling. Studies have shown that antidepressants have no benefit versus a placebo or other treatment. Antidepressants can also lead to a higher rate of non-lethal suicidal behavior. Relapse can also be related to treatment with antidepressants. This is less likely to occur if a mood stabilizer is combined with an antidepressant, rather than an antidepressant being used alone. Evidence from previous studies shows that rapid cycling is linked to use of antidepressants. Rapid cycling is defined as the presence of four or more mood episodes within a year's time. Evidence suggests that rapid cycling and mixed symptoms have become more common since antidepressant medication has come into widespread use. There is a need for caution when treating bipolar patients with antidepressant medication due to the risks that they pose.[citation needed]

There is a whole list of mood stabilizers, and they are all slightly different. Medical professionals group these drugs together because they help to stabilize mood and prevent, manage or reduce depressive and manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder. The effectiveness, side-effects and recommended doses of these drugs vary, and many people want to explore their options before committing to a course of treatment. Here is a mood stabilizers medication list, as well as some important facts about each medication.

There is a long list of mood stabilizers, and what is right for one person may not be right for another. Three types of medications fall into the category of mood stabilizers: minerals, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics.

Anticonvulsants are commonly prescribed to patients with epilepsy, but they are also highly effective at reducing the severity and frequency of bipolar episodes. There is a long list of mood stabilizers in this category, but commonly prescribed medicines include:

Antipsychotics are another medication type on the mood stabilizers list. In some cases, they are prescribed alone, but they may also be taken with other mood stabilizing drugs. Medications in this category that are approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder include

All side-effects should be reported to your doctor. If you experience swelling of the hands or face, difficulty breathing, body rash or irregular heart rhythms, you should seek medical assistance immediately. Some drugs on the mood stabilizers medication list can also cause adverse mood symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts and behavior, hallucinations and problems with memory. If any of these occur, it's important to seek immediate medical advice.

If you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, your doctor will examine your symptoms, medical history, allergies, intolerances and other general health factors to determine which course of treatment is right for you. You may need to try different medications from the mood stabilizers list to determine which works best.

APA ReferenceSmith, E. (2021, December 28). Complete List of Mood Stabilizers: Types, Uses, Side-Effects, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2023, February 8 from -disorder/bipolar-medications/complete-list-of-mood-stabilizers-types-uses-side-effects

Avoid antidepressants. The treatment for bipolar depression is different than for regular depression. In fact, antidepressants can actually make bipolar disorder worse or trigger a manic episode. Try mood stabilizers first and never take antidepressants without them.

Take advantage of natural mood stabilizers. Your lifestyle can have a huge impact on your symptoms. If you make healthy daily choices, you may be able to reduce the amount of medication you need. Mood stabilizers that don't require a prescription include keeping a strict sleep schedule, exercising regularly, practicing relaxation techniques, and developing a solid support system.

Mood stabilizers are medications that help control the highs and lows of bipolar disorder. They are the cornerstone of treatment, both for mania and depression. Lithium is the oldest and most well-known mood stabilizer and is highly effective for treating mania. Lithium can also help bipolar depression. However, it is not as effective for mixed episodes or rapid cycling forms of bipolar disorder. Lithium takes from one to two weeks to reach its full effect.

Valproic acid, also known as divalproex or valproate, is a highly effective mood stabilizer. Common brand names include Depakote and Depakene. Valproic acid is often the first choice for rapid cycling, mixed mania, or mania with hallucinations or delusions. It is a good bipolar medication option if you can't tolerate the side effects of lithium. 2ff7e9595c