They can also be known as anti-manic medications. An example is Bipolar disorder. This has severe highs (manic) and lows (depression). When someone is in a manic swing, the may be overactive, over talkative, and have a lot of energy. They often can make irrational decisions. Depression will show in a "low" mood, lack of energy, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, sadness, worthlessness, and guilt, and sometimes thoughts of suicide. Lithium is the medication used most often to deal with the mood swings. Lithium evens out mood swings in both directions, so it is also used as an ongoing treatment of bipolar disorder. It can reduce the symptoms in about 5 to 14 days but it can take months for the condition to be under control. Antipsychotic medications can be used in the first days of treatment to control some symptoms until the lithium takes effect. For some people they may only have one episode of bipolar disorder, or be symptom free for several years, for others it can be a continuing cycle, and continuing lithium is a …show more content…
Therapeutic action grouping is the most commonly used by service providers and families and common groups are; antidepressants, anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics or neuroleptics. There are many benefits and disadvantages to psychotropic medications. Benefits of psychotropic medications include; symptom reduction, cost effective, and increasing the effective of other treatments. Disadvantages include; side effects, special considerations in children, pregnant women, and the elderly, the risk of addiction, and possible interactions. There is a lot of controversy surrounding pharmaceutical companies that provide psychotropic medications, and sometimes doctors, due to the profits these companies take in each year. It is very important to individualize treatment for the patient, for greater quality of life, whether it be medications, alternative therapies, or a combination of both, regardless of controversy, money, or personal