Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mental health condition known for causing extreme mood swings. When a person becomes depressed, they will likely feel sad or hopeless and lose interest in the things around them. But when their mood shifts to mania or hypomania, they may feel euphoric or full of energy. These emotional highs and lows are different for everyone — and may occur rarely or multiple times a year.

While bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, mood swings and symptoms can be managed by following a treatment plan, which often includes psychological counseling and medication. We’ll explain common bipolar disorder medications and more in detail below.

Bipolar disorder medications

Several different types of medications are used to treat bipolar disorder. However, the types and doses of medications prescribed depend on a person’s symptoms and severity of mood swings.

Common bipolar disorder medications include:

• Anti-anxiety medications. Some people who have bipolar disorder may have severe anxiety. Benzodiazepines can help with anxiety and improve sleep, though they are typically used on a short-term basis.
• Antidepressant and antipsychotic medication. Medications like Symbyax combine the antidepressant fluoxetine and the antipsychotic olanzapine to help treat depression and act as a mood stabilizer.
• Antidepressant medication. Doctors may prescribe antidepressants to help patients who struggle with depression. Since antidepressants may trigger manic episodes, they are usually prescribed with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic.
• Antipsychotic medication. Sometimes depression and mania symptoms persist despite treatment with other medicines. Some doctors may add an antipsychotic drug like olanzapine (Zyprexa), risperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel), aripiprazole (Alibify), ziprasidone (Geodon), Iurasidone (Latuda), or asenapine (Saphris). These medications could be prescribed alone or along with another mood stabilizer.
• Mood stabilizer. To control manic or hypomanic episodes, you will typically need mood-stabilizing medication. Some examples of mood stabilizers include lithium (Lithobid), valproic acid (Depakene), divalproex sodium (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and lamotrigine (Lamictal).

Finding the right bipolar disorder medications

When it comes to bipolar medications, it may take some trial and error to find what works best for you. The good news is that there are several options for you to try and test in case you find some that don’t work well for you.

Testing new bipolar disorder medications requires patience, as most medicines need several weeks or months to take full effect. Your doctor will likely only change one prescription at a time to help identify which work to relieve your symptoms with the least amount of side effects. Dosage can also be adjusted depending on if your symptoms change.

Side effects of bipolar disorder medication

If you have mild side effects, they may improve as you find the proper medications that work for you and your body as it adjusts to being on medication. Speak with your doctor or mental health professional if you have side effects affecting your daily life. But don’t make changes or stop taking your medicines as you may experience withdrawal effects or your symptoms may worsen or return.

Reach out to Synchronous Mental Health today!

If you’ve been putting off getting diagnosed or getting treatment for bipolar disorder, we can help! Synchronous Mental Health is a mental health provider with over two decades of experience providing Portland and surrounding communities with supportive, affordable services. We believe in providing relief from adult mental health conditions with as few medications as possible and can help you find safer alternatives to high-risk medications.

Contact our team to learn how our psychiatric nurse practitioner services can help you.