Mood stabilizers: Side effects and its medication
Have you ever given a thought to what are mood stabilizers?
A mood stabilizer is a type of medication that is used to treat various mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder. It works by regulating the chemicals in the brain that are involved in mood regulation, such as dopamine and serotonin. Mood stabilizers can help to reduce symptoms of mania or depression and prevent future episodes from occurring. They are often prescribed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that may also include therapy and lifestyle changes.
Some joint mood stabilizers include lithium, valproic acid, and carbamazepine. It is important to work closely with a healthcare provider when taking mood stabilizers, as they can have potential side effects and require careful monitoring.
Mood stabilizers are a type of drug used in mental health care. They are approved to be used in the treatment of:
The term bipolar refers to two extreme moods, mania and depression. People experience these extremes at different times, although the moods states can occur together and be mixed state.
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Bipolar disease
In some cases, the person has recurring mania and hypomania, significant depression, and schizoaffective disorder.
Some of the drugs we call mood stabilizers are made of compounds that are very different from each other. But doctors often group them together because they can all help you keep your mood stable if you have problems with mood swings that are too high or too low. They can also help if your mood goes from very high to very low very quickly.
Let us understand what is mania.
Some of the common symptoms which are mania are:
- Feeling extremely happy even if things are not going well with you.
- Being full of new and exciting ideas
- Moving quickly from one idea to another
- Being more irritable than normal
- Feeling more important than usual
- All the racing thoughts and immediately jumping from one idea to another
- Being easily distracted and struggling to focus on one topic
- Being overfamiliar with people
- Not being able to sleep or a feeling that you don’t want to sleep
- Thinking that you can do much more than you can
- Taking big decisions without thinking them through
- Hearing voices that other people can’t hear
- Doing things that normally can cause problems:
- Spending a lot of money
- Being more interested in sex
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Gambling
- Making an unwise business or other decisions
How will you make out that you need treatment?
Treatment with mood stabilizers can reduce symptoms of bipolar disorder and increase people’s ability to pursue their interests and participate more fully in their relationships.
Medication is generally considered to be the cornerstone of treatment for bipolar disorder; however, combining medication with other types of therapy and support can help you to get and stay well. Forms of talk therapy that have been shown to help with bipolar disorder are interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and family-focused education about bipolar disorder. Other aids include peer support, school and job counseling, and housing and employment support. Eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep are also important, as are minimizing your use of alcohol and caffeine and avoiding street drugs.
What do mood-stabilizing medicines do?
The exact definition of mood stabilizers is not known. It is thought that the drugs work in different ways to bring stability and calm to the areas of the brain that has become overstimulated and overactive or to prevent this state from developing.
Side effects of mood stabilizing drug
The side effects of mood stabilizers vary based on the type of medication. With some medications, side effects are kept to a minimum through regular monitoring of the amount of the drug in the blood. Some people experience no side effects. Others may find the side effects upsetting. Side effects normally lessen as treatment continues.
Check the information given to you by your doctor or pharmacist on the specific effects of any drug you have been prescribed. If side effects are not mild and acceptable, let your doctor know as soon as possible. Your doctor may:
- change your dose
- suggest you take the medication at a different time of day suggest you take your medicine with food
- recommend other medications to help control side-effects
- change your medicine.
More information on side effects is included for each type of mood stabilizer.
The list of mood stabilizers is jotted down below…..
Medications that are commonly classified as mood stabilizers include:
- mineral
- anticonvulsants
- antipsychotics
Mineral
Mineral lithium is a naturally occurring element. It is not an artificial medicine.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved lithium in 1970, and it is currently regarded as a potent mood stabilizer. Both the treatment of bipolar mania and the maintenance of bipolar disorder are recognized uses for it. It is occasionally combined with other drugs to treat bipolar depression.
Lithium is excreted from the body through the kidneys, so when receiving lithium therapy, kidney health should be monitored on a regular basis.
Commercial lithium brand names include:
Eskalith
Lithobid
Lithonate
Lithium side effects may include:
- nausea fatigue
- gaining weight
- tremor
- diarrhea
- confusion
Anticonvulsants
Anticonvulsant drugs also referred to as antiepileptic drugs, were initially created to treat seizures. The following anticonvulsants are frequently used as mood stabilizers:
- valproic acid, also called valproate or divalproex sodium (Depakote, Depakene)
- lamotrigine (Lamictal)
- carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, Epitol, Equetro)
Unofficially approved for this ailment, several anticonvulsants are used off-label as mood stabilizers.
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal, Oxtellar)
gabapentin (Horizant, Neurontin) with topiramate (Qudexy, Topamax, Trokendi)
Anticonvulsant side effects can include:
- fatigue
- headache
- gaining weight
- dizziness
- abdominal pain
- less sexual arousal
- fever confusion
- vision issues
- unusual bleeding or bruising
Antipsychotics
Antipsychotics may be prescribed along with mood-stabilizing drugs. In other cases, they seem to assist mood stabilization on their own. Antipsychotics used to treat bipolar disorder include:
- aripiprazole (Abilify)
- olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- risperidone (Risperdal)
- lurasidone (Latuda)
- quetiapine (Seroquel)
- ziprasidone (Geodon)
- asenapine (Saphris)
- Side effects from antipsychotics can include:
- rapid heartbeat
- drowsiness
- tremors
- blurred vision
- dizziness
- weight gain
- sensitivity to sunlight
Frequently asked question
Can mood stabilizers be taken alone?
A person may take mood stabilizers on their own or in combination with other drugs. Mood stabilizers and other drugs are usually only one part of the therapy plan for bipolar disorder.
Do mood stabilizers help with anger?
Effective Anger Medications & Over-the-Counter Options
Mood stabilizers can also be used in the treatment of anger issues. While not FDA-approved for this use, they have shown efficacy in smaller studies. The side effect profiles of these medications are different, so patients need to discuss the medical options of mood stabilizers for treating their anger issues.
Are mood stabilizers fast acting?
There are many different types of mood stabilizers, and each works a bit differently… But generally, it takes at least 2 weeks for them to take effect. If you are hospitalized for a severe manic episode, a psychiatrist might temporarily give you a higher dose to help you get back on your feet more quickly.
Conclusion
To sum up, mood stabilizers play a significant role in the management of bipolar disorder. They can aid persons who have this mental disease in controlling their symptoms and enhancing their quality of life. Working with a mental health specialist will help you choose the best medicine and dosage for your needs.
Be sure to discuss any adverse effects you are having with your doctor. You may live a happy and healthy life with bipolar disorder if you receive the right care.
