Let's talk about bipolar disorder medications

Bipolar disorder causes shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and skill to function. The symptoms of manic depression may result in damaged relationships, difficulty in working or getting to school, and even suicide. There are generally periods of normal mood, but if left untreated, people with manic depression can experience these shifts in mood. The great news is that manic depressions are often treated, and other people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.

What are the standard Medications for Bipolar Disorder?

There are dozens of bipolar disorder drugs, and everybody responds in their way—so finding the proper drug at the appropriate dose is often tricky. It can take tons of trial and error with various medications, or maybe a mixture of them, to ascertain what gives the simplest results with the fewest bipolar disorder medication side effects.

Mood stabilizers: Usually, these are the initial go-to for doctors. Researchers haven’t fully pinned down how they work. Still, a prevailing theory is that this class of medicine calms overactive areas of the brain related to bipolar disorder. Since mood stabilizers can take up to 2 weeks to kick in—and some doctors say that’s when the meds start to figure, with full effects at four to 6 weeks—you can also take an antipsychotic, which works within a couple of hours.