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Uses & Misuses of Mood Stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are a class of drugs designed to help level out people who suffer from mood swings that range from euphoria to depression. These swings manifest as part of a few related disorders. Treatment for such often involves a combination of medication and counseling-based therapy. Like any drug, however, the potential for misuse exists.

  1. Depression

    • Mood stabilizers need to affect depression in some way. People who suffer from bipolar disorder are often at risk from severe depressive downswings. A mood stabilizer may be formulated to help combat that depression. Mood stabilizers exist in different types. Some drugs, such as Lithium, are useful at preventing acute depression recurring depressive episodes. Others are designed to simply prevent future episodes, such as Lamotrigine. (See References 1)

    Mania

    • Mood stabilizers also need to help treat acute mania, or to prevent manic episodes from occurring. In patients who suffer more from depressive episodes, it is enough that the drug simply does not encourage a manic episode. Lithium is also good at treating acute mania and preventing it, and is often considered an all-purpose bi-polar drug. Valproate is also effective at reducing manic episodes in patients. (See References 2)

    Misdiagnosis

    • One problem with mood stabilizers is that if they are prescribed incorrectly, they help mask the symptoms of a more serious underlying condition. Doctors cannot screen for bipolar disease with any sort of definitive test. If mood stabilizers are prescribed without proper screening for neurological or hormonal problems, a more serious condition could be overlooked. Thyroid issues, for instance, cause mood symptoms that are similar to bipolar disorder. (See References 3)

    Sole Prescription

    • Another misuse of mood stabilizers is to prescribe them as the sole therapy for a patient suffering from severe bipolar disorder. Often, to be truly effective, a mood stabilizer should to be combined with other treatments. By itself, some mood stabilizers have been even reported to make patients worse. An anti-depressant often needs to be combined with a mood stabilizer for patients with severe depression. Also, exercise plays a vital role in supporting mood stabilization. Even supplements, such as fish oil, help to make the medication and overall treatment more effective. (See References 4)

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