Manic Depression Treatment Drugs

Manic depression, commonly referred to as bipolar disorder, is a mental disorder that is characterized by extreme and sudden changes in mood, which can vacillate from depression to mania. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that it affects nearly 3 million adults in the U.S. alone. Although it is not curable, bipolar disorder can usually be successfully managed.

Antidepressant Medications

• Antidepressant medications work to relieve symptoms of depression such as sadness, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, or lack of motivation. These medications target neurotransmitters that are related to mood.

Lithium

• Lithium is a mood stabilizing medication that is commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder; patients taking lithium must have regular blood tests to check levels of this medication, which can build up and become toxic.

Antipsychotic Medications

• Antipsychotic medications such as Zyprexa may be prescribed to combat psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions that are experienced by some individuals with manic depression.

Anticonvulsant Medications

• Anticonvulsant medications can act as mood stabilizers, and have been used in an off-label manner to treat bipolar disorder for several years. The National Institute of Mental Health( NIMH) notes recently that the anticonvulsant Lamictal was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose.

Depakote

• Depakote is an antipsychotic that is often prescribed as an alternative to lithium. According to the NIMH, it was approved in 1995 by the FDA for the treatment of manic symptoms.