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A psychiatric medication is a licenced psychoactive drug
Psychoactive drug

A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....
 taken to exert an effect on the mental state
Mental state

* In psychology, mental state is an indication of a person's mental health.* In the philosophy of mind, a mental state is the kind of state or process that is unique to thinking and feeling beings....
 and used to treat mental disorders. Usually prescribed in psychiatric
Psychiatry

Psychiatry is a Medicine Specialty devoted to the Treatment of mental disorders, Biomedical research and Prevention of mental disorder. The term was first coined by the German physician Johann Christian Reil in 1808....
 settings, these medications are typically made of synthetic
Chemical synthesis

In chemistry, chemical synthesis is purposeful execution of chemical reactions in order to get a product , or several products. This happens by physics and chemical manipulations usually involving one or more reactions....
 chemical compound
Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a Chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical element Chemical bond together in a fixed mass ratio that can be split into simpler substances....
s, although some are naturally occurring.

cription psychiatric medications, like any prescription medication, usually require a prescription
Medical prescription

A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient....
 from a physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
, such as a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry and is certified in treating mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy....
, before it can be obtained.






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Encyclopedia


A psychiatric medication is a licenced psychoactive drug
Psychoactive drug

A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....
 taken to exert an effect on the mental state
Mental state

* In psychology, mental state is an indication of a person's mental health.* In the philosophy of mind, a mental state is the kind of state or process that is unique to thinking and feeling beings....
 and used to treat mental disorders. Usually prescribed in psychiatric
Psychiatry

Psychiatry is a Medicine Specialty devoted to the Treatment of mental disorders, Biomedical research and Prevention of mental disorder. The term was first coined by the German physician Johann Christian Reil in 1808....
 settings, these medications are typically made of synthetic
Chemical synthesis

In chemistry, chemical synthesis is purposeful execution of chemical reactions in order to get a product , or several products. This happens by physics and chemical manipulations usually involving one or more reactions....
 chemical compound
Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a Chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical element Chemical bond together in a fixed mass ratio that can be split into simpler substances....
s, although some are naturally occurring.

Administration

Prescription psychiatric medications, like any prescription medication, usually require a prescription
Medical prescription

A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient....
 from a physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
, such as a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry and is certified in treating mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy....
, before it can be obtained. Some U.S. states and territories, following the creation of the prescriptive authority for psychologists movement
Prescriptive authority for psychologists movement

The Prescriptive authority for psychologists movement is a political effort to give medical prescription#Who can write prescriptions to clinical psychologists, enabling them to prescribe psychotropic medications to treat mental disorders....
, have granted prescriptive privileges to clinical psychologists that have undergone additional specialised education and training in medical psychology
Medical psychology

Medical Psychology refers to an emerging specialty of clinical psychological practice in which psychologists, who have undergone additional specialized education and training, may prescribe medications in the care and management of patients....
.

Research

Psychopharmacology studies a wide range of substances with various types of psychoactive
Psychoactive drug

A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....
 properties, though the professional
Professional

A professional is a person who has completed a doctoral or law program or equivalent .A professional is someone who has a professional degree - a number one on the Hollingshead scale....
 and commercial
Commerce

Commerce is a division of trade or production, costs, and pricing which deals with the Trade of goods and service from production, costs, and pricing to final consumer....
 fields of pharmacology
Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the study of drug action. More specifically it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and exogenous chemicals that alter normal biochemical function....
 and psychopharmacology don't typically focus on psychedelic
Psychedelic drug

A psychedelic substance is any psychoactive drugs whose primary action is to alter the thought processes of the brain and perception of the mind....
 or recreational drugs
Recreational drug use

Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for employment, Medicine or Spirituality purposes, although the distinction is not always clear ....
; the majority of studies are conducted on psychiatric medication. While studies are conducted on all psychoactives
Psychoactive drug

A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....
 by both fields, psychopharmacology focuses primarily on the psychoactive and chemical interactions with the brain
Human brain

The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. It has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over five times as large as the "average brain" of a mammal with the same body size....
. Physicians who research psychiatric medications are psychopharmacologists, specialists in the field of psychopharmacology.

Side effects

Psychiatric medications sometimes have adverse side effects
Adverse drug reaction

An adverse drug reaction or adverse drug event is an expression that describes the unwanted, negative consequences associated with the use of given medications....
 that may reduce patients' drug compliance
Compliance (medicine)

Compliance is a medical term that is used to indicate a patient's correct following of medical advice. Most commonly it is a patient taking medication , but may also apply to use of surgical appliances such as compression stockings, chronic wound care, self-directed physiotherapy exercises, or attending counselling or other courses of therap...
. Some of these side effects can be further treated by using other drug
Medication

A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease....
s such as anticholinergic
Anticholinergic

An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system....
 (antimuscarinic) medications. Some side effects, including the possibility of a sudden or severe re-emergence of psychotic features, may appear when the patient stops taking the drug, particularly if a drug is suddenly discontinued instead of slowly tapered off.

Types

There are six main groups of psychiatric medications.
  • Antidepressants, which are used to treat disparate disorders such as clinical depression
    Clinical depression

    Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive depression , low self-esteem, and anhedonia in normally enjoyable activities....
    , dysthymia
    Dysthymia

    Dysthymia is a chronic depression mood disorder that falls within the Clinical depression. It is considered a chronic depression, but with less severity than major depressive disorder....
    , anxiety
    Anxiety

    Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, fear, or worry....
    , eating disorders and borderline personality disorder
    Borderline personality disorder

    Borderline Personality Disorder is a psychiatry in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that describes a prolonged personality disorder characterized by depth and variability of moods....
    .
  • Stimulants, which are used to treat disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy
    Narcolepsy

    Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. The condition is most characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness , in which a person experiences extreme tiredness and possibly falls asleep during the day at inappropriate times, such as at work or school....
     and to suppress the appetite.
  • Antipsychotics, which are used to treat psychoses such as schizophrenia
    Schizophrenia

    Schizophrenia , from the Ancient Greek Root schizein and phren, phren- is a psychiatry diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality....
     and mania
    Mania

    Mania is a severe medical condition characterized by extremely elevated mood, energy, unusual thought patterns and sometimes psychosis. There are several possible causes for mania including drug abuse and brain tumours, but it is most often associated with bipolar disorder, where episodes of mania may cyclically alternate with episodes of ma...
    .
  • Mood stabilizers, which are used to treat bipolar disorder
    Bipolar disorder

    Bipolar disorder is a Classification of mental disorders that describes a category of mood disorders, or mood swings, defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania....
     and schizoaffective disorder
    Schizoaffective disorder

    Schizoaffective disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis. It describes episodic disorders where mood disorder and schizophrenia symptoms are both present but a diagnosis of schizophrenia or depressive or manic episodes is not warranted....
    .
  • Anxiolytics, which are used to treat anxiety disorder
    Anxiety disorder

    Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal and pathological fears and anxieties.Although in casual discourse the words anxiety, fear, and phobia are often used interchangeably, in clinical usage, they have distinct meanings....
    s.
  • Depressants, which are used as hypnotics, sedative
    Sedative

    A sedative is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement.At higher doses it may result in slurred speech, staggering gait , poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes....
    s, and anesthetics.


Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics are drugs that are used in the treatment of various symptoms of psychosis
Psychosis

Psychosis , with adjective psychotic, literally means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatry term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"....
, such as those caused by psychotic disorders or schizophrenia
Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia , from the Ancient Greek Root schizein and phren, phren- is a psychiatry diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality....
. Antipsychotics are also sometimes used as mood stabilizers, most frequently to help manage such disorders
Mental illness

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture....
 as bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a Classification of mental disorders that describes a category of mood disorders, or mood swings, defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania....
, even if no symptoms of psychosis
Psychosis

Psychosis , with adjective psychotic, literally means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatry term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"....
 are present. Antipsychotics may also be referred to as neuroleptic drugs and some antipsychotics are branded as major tranquilizers.

There are two categories of antipsychotics, typical antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics, and due to the nature of the drugs the majority of them require a verifiable prescription
Medical prescription

A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient....
 from a licensed physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
.

Common Antipsychotics:
  • Chlorpromazine
    Chlorpromazine

    Chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine antipsychotic, and the oldest in the antipsychotic family of drugs. It is a typical antipsychotic. It is principally used in the treatment of schizophrenia, though it has also been used to treat severe manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder....
     (Thorazine), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Haloperidol
    Haloperidol

    Haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic. It is in the butyrophenone class of antipsychotic medications and has pharmacology similar to the phenothiazines....
     (Haldol), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Perphenazine
    Perphenazine

    Perphenazine is a typical antipsychotic psychoactive drug. Chemically, it is classified as a piperazinyl phenothiazine. It has been in clinical use for decades....
     (Trilafon), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Thioridazine
    Thioridazine

    Thioridazine is a piperidine antipsychotic psychoactive drug belonging to the phenothiazine drug group and was previously widely used in the treatment of schizophrenia and psychosis....
     (Mellaril), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Thiothixene
    Thiothixene

    Thiothixene is a thioxanthene Medication used as a typical antipsychotic medication. It is a thioxanthene derivative and is the cis isomer of N,Ndimethyl-...
     (Navane), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Trifluoperazine
    Trifluoperazine

    Trifluoperazine is a typical antipsychotic medication of the phenothiazine group. It has a central antiadrenergic, antidopaminergic, and minimal anticholinergic effects....
     (Stelazine), Typical antipsychotic
    Typical antipsychotic

    Typical antipsychotics are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis , and are generally being replaced by atypical antipsychotic drugs....
  • Aripiprazole
    Aripiprazole

    Aripiprazole was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on November 15, 2002 for the treatment of schizophrenia, the sixth atypical antipsychotic medication of its kind....
     (Abilify), Atypical antipsychotic
    Atypical antipsychotic

    The atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions. Some atypical antipsychotics are Food and Drug Administration approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia....
  • Olanzapine
    Olanzapine

    Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of: schizophrenia on September 6, 1996; depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder, as part of the Symbyax formulation, on December 24, 2003; acute manic episodes and maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder on January 14, 2004...
     (Zyprexa), Atypical antipsychotic
    Atypical antipsychotic

    The atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions. Some atypical antipsychotics are Food and Drug Administration approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia....
  • Quetiapine
    Quetiapine

    Quetiapine , marketed by AstraZeneca as Seroquel and by Orion Pharma as Ketipinor, is an atypical antipsychotic used in the management of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder, and used off-label use for a variety of other purposes, including insomnia and anxiety disorders....
     (Seroquel), Atypical antipsychotic
    Atypical antipsychotic

    The atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions. Some atypical antipsychotics are Food and Drug Administration approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia....
  • Risperidone
    Risperidone

    Risperidone is an atypical antipsychotic developed by Janssen-Cilag....
     (Risperdal), Atypical antipsychotic
    Atypical antipsychotic

    The atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions. Some atypical antipsychotics are Food and Drug Administration approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia....
  • Ziprasidone
    Ziprasidone

    Ziprasidone was the fifth atypical antipsychotic to gain FDA approval . In the United States, Ziprasidone is Food and Drug Administration approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, and the intramuscular injection form of ziprasidone is approved for acute agitation in schizophrenic patients....
     (Geodon), Atypical antipsychotic
    Atypical antipsychotic

    The atypical antipsychotics are a group of antipsychotic drugs used to treat psychiatric conditions. Some atypical antipsychotics are Food and Drug Administration approved for use in the treatment of schizophrenia....


Antidepressants

Antidepressants are drugs used in the treatment of clinical depression
Clinical depression

Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive depression , low self-esteem, and anhedonia in normally enjoyable activities....
, and they are also often used for anxiety and other disorders. Most antidepressants will restrain the metabolism of serotonin
Serotonin

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans....
 and/or norepinephrine
Norepinephrine

Norepinephrine or noradrenaline is a catecholamine with dual roles as a hormone and a neurotransmitter.As a stress hormone, norepinephrine affects parts of the brain where attention and responding actions are controlled....
. Such drugs are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor are a class of antidepressants used in the treatment of Clinical depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders....
s (SSRI), and they actively attempt to prevent the aforementioned neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitters are chemistry which relay, amplify and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell . Neurotransmitters are packaged into vesicles that cluster beneath the membrane on the presynaptic side of a synapse, and are released into the synaptic cleft, where they bind to receptors in the membrane on the postsynaptic side of...
s from dropping to the levels at which depression is experienced. SSRIs will often take 3-5 weeks to have a noticeable effect, due to the inability of the brain to process the flood of serotonin
Serotonin

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans....
 and it reacts by downregulating the sensitivity of the autoreceptors, which can take up to 5 weeks. Currently, Bi-functional SSRIs are being researched, which will occupy the autoreceptors, bypassing the 'throttling' of serotonin. Another type of antidepressant is a Monoamine oxidase inhibitor
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are a class of powerful Antidepressants prescribed for the treatment of clinical depression. They are particularly effective in treating atypical depression, and have also shown efficacy in smoking cessation....
, which are thought to block the actions of MAO
Mao

, is a Japanese remake of the Korean suspense drama series titled Ma Wang which aired on Korean Broadcasting System in 2007. The drama stars Satoshi Ohno of Arashi and Toma Ikuta, both under the talent agency Johnny & Associates....
, an enzyme which assists in the breakdown of serotonin
Serotonin

Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including humans....
 and norepinephrine
Norepinephrine

Norepinephrine or noradrenaline is a catecholamine with dual roles as a hormone and a neurotransmitter.As a stress hormone, norepinephrine affects parts of the brain where attention and responding actions are controlled....
. MAOI's are typically only used in the event that a tricyclic antidepressant
Tricyclic antidepressant

Tricyclic antidepressants are a class of antidepressant Medications first used in the 1950s. They are named after the drugs' molecular structure, which contains three rings of atoms ....
 or SSRI fails to prevent or exacerbates depression.

Common Antidepressants:
  • Citalopram
    Citalopram

    Citalopram is an antidepressant Medication used to treat Major depressive disorder associated with mood disorders. It is also used on occasion in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder and anxiety....
     (Celexa), SSRI
  • Escitalopram
    Escitalopram

    Escitalopram is the pure enantiomer of racemic citalopram and is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor . Escitalopram is used in the treatment of Major depressive disorder and anxiety....
     (Lexapro), SSRI
  • Fluoxetine
    Fluoxetine

    Fluoxetine hydrochloride is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. Fluoxetine is approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder , obsessive-compulsive disorder , bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, panic disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder....
     (Prozac), SSRI
  • Sertraline
    Sertraline

    Sertraline hydrochloride is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. It was introduced to the market by Pfizer in 1991....
     (Zoloft), SSRI
  • Duloxetine
    Duloxetine

    Duloxetine is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor effective for the treatment of major depressive disorder , general anxiety disorder , pain related to diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia and stress urinary incontinence ....
     (Cymbalta), SNRI
    SNRI

    SNRI may refer to:* Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor* Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor* Strategic Naval Research Institute...
  • Venlafaxine
    Venlafaxine

    Venlafaxine is an antidepressant of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor class first introduced by Wyeth in 1993. It is prescribed for the treatment of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, among other uses....
     (Effexor), SNRI
    SNRI

    SNRI may refer to:* Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor* Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor* Strategic Naval Research Institute...
  • Bupropion
    Bupropion

    Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant that acts as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and dopamine reuptake inhibitor, and nicotinic antagonist....
     (Wellbutrin), NDRI
    NDRI

    NDRI may refer to:* Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor.* National Dairy Research Institute* National Defense Research Institute* National Development and Research Institute...
  • Mirtazapine
    Mirtazapine

    Mirtazapine is an antidepressant introduced by Organon International in 1994 used for the treatment of moderate to severe clinical depression....
     (Remeron), NaSSA
  • Isocarboxazid
    Isocarboxazid

    Isocarboxazid is a nonselective hydrazine-derived monoamine oxidase inhibitor used in treatment resistant clinical depression....
     (Marplan), MAO Inhibitor
  • Phenelzine
    Phenelzine

    Phenelzine is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor used as an antidepressant Medication....
     (Nardil), MAO Inhibitor


Mood stabilizers

In 1949, the Australian John Cade
John Cade

Dr John Frederick Joseph Cade Order of Australia was an Australian psychiatry credited with discovering the effects of lithium carbonate as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder ....
 discovered that lithium salts could control mania
Mania

Mania is a severe medical condition characterized by extremely elevated mood, energy, unusual thought patterns and sometimes psychosis. There are several possible causes for mania including drug abuse and brain tumours, but it is most often associated with bipolar disorder, where episodes of mania may cyclically alternate with episodes of ma...
, reducing the frequency and severity of manic episodes. This introduced the now popular drug Lithium carbonate
Lithium carbonate

Lithium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Li2CO3. This colorless salt is widely used in the processing of metal oxide and has received attention for its use in psychiatry....
 to the mainstream public, as well as being the first mood stabilizer to be approved by the Food & Drug Administration. Many antipsychotics are used as mood stabilizers, although typically the first resort would be a standard mood stabilizer
Mood stabilizer

A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...
 such as Lithium carbonate
Lithium carbonate

Lithium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Li2CO3. This colorless salt is widely used in the processing of metal oxide and has received attention for its use in psychiatry....
. Many mood stabilizers, with the exception of Lithium
Lithium

Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft alkali metal with a silver-white color. Under standard conditions for temperature and pressure, it is the lightest metal and the least dense solid element....
, are anticonvulsants.

Common Mood Stabilizers:

  • Lithium Carbonate
    Lithium carbonate

    Lithium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Li2CO3. This colorless salt is widely used in the processing of metal oxide and has received attention for its use in psychiatry....
     (Carbolith), Regular Mood stabilizer
    Mood stabilizer

    A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...
  • Carbamazepine
    Carbamazepine

    Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer drug used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, phantom limb syndrome, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and trigeminal neuralgia....
     (Tegretol), Anticonvulsant
    Anticonvulsant

    The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmacology used in the treatment of epilepsy seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers....
     Mood stabilizer
    Mood stabilizer

    A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...
  • Valproic acid
    Valproic acid

    Valproic acid is a chemical compound that has found clinical use as an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer medication, primarily in the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and less commonly major depressive disorder....
     (Valproate), Anticonvulsant
    Anticonvulsant

    The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmacology used in the treatment of epilepsy seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers....
     Mood stabilizer
    Mood stabilizer

    A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...
  • Valproate semisodium
    Valproate semisodium

    Valproate semisodium or divalproex sodium consists of a compound of sodium valproate and valproic acid in a 1:1 molar relationship in an enteric coating form....
     (Depakote), Anticonvulsant
    Anticonvulsant

    The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmacology used in the treatment of epilepsy seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers....
     Mood stabilizer
    Mood stabilizer

    A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...
  • Lamotrigine
    Lamotrigine

    Lamotrigine and also Lamitor is an anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder. For epilepsy it is used to treat partial seizures, primary and secondary tonic-clonic seizures, and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome....
     (Lamictal), Atypical Anticonvulsant
    Anticonvulsant

    The anticonvulsants are a diverse group of pharmacology used in the treatment of epilepsy seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used the treatment of bipolar disorder, since many seem to act as mood stabilizers....
     Mood stabilizer
    Mood stabilizer

    A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used to treat mood disorders characterized by intense and sustained mood shifts, which is not the same as "feeling good one minute and then bad the next." The most common is bipolar disorder, where mood stabilizers suppress swings between mania and Clinical depression, and these drugs are also use...


Stimulants

Stimulants are some of the most widely prescribed drugs today. A stimulant is any drug that stimulates the central nervous system
Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that functions to coordinate the activity of all parts of the bodies of multicellular organisms....
. Adderall
Adderall

Adderall is a brand-name pharmaceutical psychostimulant composed of mixed amphetamine Salt , which is thought to work by increasing the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain....
, a collection of Amphetamine
Amphetamine

Amphetamine and related drugs such as methamphetamine are a group of drugs that act by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain....
 salts, is one of the most prescribed pharmaceuticals in the treatment of ADHD. Typically prescribed to treat adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and an increasing number of adults, it is very common as a treatment. Patients respond differently to each drug. Most frequently used are timed-release mediums but if such a method doesn't work there are many options to try. Stimulants have the potential to be addictive and patients with a history of drug abuse are typically monitored closely or even barred from the usage and given an alternative. Discontinuing treatment without tapering the dosage is not advisable.

Common Stimulants:
  • Caffeine
    Caffeine

    Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a psychoactive stimulant drug and a mild diuretic. Caffeine was discovered by a German chemist, Friedrich Ferdinand Runge, in 1819....
    , Typical Stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....
     found in many edibles worldwide
  • Methylphenidate
    Methylphenidate

    Methylphenidate is the most commonly medical prescription psychostimulant and is indicated in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, although off-label uses include treating lethargy, depression, neural insult and obesity....
     (Ritalin), (Concerta), (Daytrana
    Daytrana

    Daytrana is a transdermal patch marketed by Shire Pharmaceuticals and developed under contract by Noven Pharmaceuticals that was approved in June 2007....
    ) atypical stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....
  • Dexmethylphenidate
    Dexmethylphenidate

    Dexmethylphenidate is a pharmaceutical drug used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a psychostimulant dopamine reuptake inhibitor that affects the central nervous system....
     (Focalin) D-isomer of Methylphenidate stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....
  • Dextroamphetamine
    Dextroamphetamine

    Dextroamphetamine is a psychostimulant which is known to produce increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite....
     (Dexedrine), (Dextrostat), (Vyvanse) D-Amphetamine-based stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....
  • Dextroamphetamine
    Dextroamphetamine

    Dextroamphetamine is a psychostimulant which is known to produce increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite....
     & Levoamphetamine
    Amphetamine

    Amphetamine and related drugs such as methamphetamine are a group of drugs that act by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain....
     (Adderall
    Adderall

    Adderall is a brand-name pharmaceutical psychostimulant composed of mixed amphetamine Salt , which is thought to work by increasing the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain....
    ), D,l-Amphetamine salt mix stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....
  • Methamphetamine
    Methamphetamine

    is a stimulant and sympathomimetics psychoactive drug. It is a member of the family of phenylethylamines. The levorotary levomethamphetamine is an over-the-counter drug and used in Vicks Inhalers for nasal decongestion and does not possess the Central nervous system activity of dextro or racemic methamphetamine....
     *Modafinil
    Modafinil

    Modafinil is a stimulant drug manufactured by Cephalon, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea....
     (Provigil), stimulant
    Stimulant

    Stimulant drugs are drugs that temporarily increase alertness and awareness. They usually have increased side-effects with increased effectiveness, and the more powerful variants are therefore often prescription medicines or illegal drugs....


Anxiolytics & Hypnotics

Barbiturate
Barbiturate

Barbiturates are medication that act as central nervous system depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia....
s were first used as hypnotic
Hypnotic

Hypnotic drugs induce sleep, used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia. Because drugs in this class generally produce dose-dependent effects, ranging from anxiolysis to production of unconsciousness, they are often referred to collectively as sedative-hypnotic drugs....
s and as anxiolytic
Anxiolytic

An anxiolytic is a Medication prescribed for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety. Some anxiolytics have been shown to be useful in the treatment of anxiety disorders as have antidepressants such as the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ....
s, but as time went on, benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepine

The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
s (Lowell Randall and Leo Sternbach, 1957) were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Eventually they led to billions of doses being consumed annually, but as prescriptions were increasing, even more were problems with addiction and dependence on these medications.

Common Anxiolytics & Hypnotics:
  • Diazepam
    Diazepam

    Diazepam , first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche, is a benzodiazepine derivative drug. It possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, sedative, skeletal muscle relaxant and amnestic properties....
     (Valium), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Nitrazepam
    Nitrazepam

    Nitrazepam is a type of benzodiazepine drug and is marketed in English speaking countries under the following brand names - Alodorm, Arem, Insoma, Mogadon, Nitrados, Nitrazadon, Ormodon, Paxadorm, Remnos and Somnite....
     (Mogadon), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Zolpidem
    Zolpidem

    Zolpidem is a prescription drug used for the short-term treatment of insomnia, as well as some brain disorders. It is a short-acting nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic that potentiates gamma-aminobutyric acid , an inhibitory neurotransmitter, by binding to gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors at the same location as benzodiazepines....
     (Ambien, Stilnox), an Imidazopyridine
    Imidazopyridine

    The imidazopyridines are a class of sedative medication related to benzodiazepines. They include:* Zolpidem * Alpidem* Saripidem* Necopidem...
  • Chlordiazepoxide
    Chlordiazepoxide

    Chlordiazepoxide , is a sedative/hypnotic drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative and is marketed under the trade name Novapam, Librium and Tropium....
     (Librium), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Alprazolam
    Alprazolam

    Alprazolam, also known under the #Availability Xanax, Xanor and Niravam, is a short-acting drug of the benzodiazepine class used to treat moderate to severe anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and as an adjunctive treatment for anxiety associated with moderate clinical depression....
     (Xanax), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Temazepam
    Temazepam

    Temazepam is an intermediate-acting 3-hydroxy benzodiazepine. It is generally prescribed for the short-term treatment of severe or debilitating sleeplessness in patients who have difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep....
     (Restoril), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Clonazepam
    Clonazepam

    Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine derivative with highly potent anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anxiolytic properties. It is marketed by Hoffmann-La Roche under the trade-names Klonopin in the United States and Rivotril in various other English speaking countries....
     (Klonopin), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative
  • Lorazepam
    Lorazepam

    Lorazepam, initially marketed under the brand names Ativan and Temesta, is a benzodiazepine drug with short to medium duration of action....
     (Ativan), Benzodiazepine
    Benzodiazepine

    The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
     derivative


See also

  • Medication
    Medication

    A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease....
  • Medicine
    Medicine

    Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
  • Psychoactive drug
    Psychoactive drug

    A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood , consciousness and behaviour....
  • Psychopharmacology
    Psychopharmacology

    Psychopharmacology is the study of drug-induced changes in mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior.The field of psychopharmacology studies a wide range of substances with various types of psychoactive properties....
  • Psychiatry
    Psychiatry

    Psychiatry is a Medicine Specialty devoted to the Treatment of mental disorders, Biomedical research and Prevention of mental disorder. The term was first coined by the German physician Johann Christian Reil in 1808....


External links