Understanding Medications for Mental Health Conditions

Mental disorders, or mental illnesses, are conditions that affect a person's ability to cope with the demands of daily life, to think or communicate clearly and to relate to others. The majority of individuals with mental illness will find relief when treated with medications that address the biological causes of symptoms.

Antidepressants

• Antidepressant medications such as Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine and Wellbutrin work to regulate the neurotransmitters that affect mood. They are prescribed to alleviate symptoms of depression such as apathy, fatigue and depressed mood.

Mood Stabilizers

• Mood stabilizers, such as Lithium, are used to treat bipolar disorder and other illnesses that cause rapid mood cycling.

Antipsychotics

• Psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions are treated with anti-psychotic medications such as Depakote.

Anticonvulsants

• Anticonvulsant medications, including Ativan and Dilantin, among others, may be prescribed to combat the side effects of some antipsychotic medications, but are also an alternative means of treating symptoms of mania.

Anti-anxiety Medications

• Anti-anxiety medications come from several different groups of drugs, most commonly benzodiazapenes. They work by slowing the central nervous system and must be used with care because they can be addictive.