Mental health medications: Answers to common questions
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Approximately one in five adults in the U.S., or 57.8 million people, are living with a mental health condition. Among those who received treatment, 16.5% took prescription medications, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with a form of talk therapy.
With your provider’s support, understanding what conditions medications can treat, how long it takes for these medications to start working, and strategies to help manage potential side effects can help you make informed decisions about your care. We’ve gathered some of the most common questions about these medications to help you learn more.
What types of mental health conditions can be treated with medication?
Answer: There are medications to treat or help manage the symptoms of most mental health conditions. These medications fall into six general categories:
- Antidepressants to treat depression, anxiety, and some types of personality disorders like borderline personality disorder
- Anxiolytics or antianxiety medications to treat anxiety disorders. Antidepressants in the SSRI and SNRI classes are often prescribed for anxiety, as well as benzodiazepines, which are usually prescribed for short term use
- Antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia and, in some cases, bipolar disorder, depression, severe agitation, dementia, delirium, and personality disorders
- Mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder, and in some cases, borderline personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and in combination with depression medications for treatment resistant depression
- Stimulants to treat ADHD
How do these medications work?
Answer:
- Antidepressants: The three most commonly prescribed types of antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs). SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin (a chemical messenger that plays a role in mood and sleep) in the brain. SNRIs and NDRIs, work similarly, preventing the reabsorption of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, making more of these chemicals available to lessen depression symptoms.
- Anxiolytics or antianxiety: Benzodiazepines work by increasing GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, the primary neurotransmitter in the brain that slows or blocks nerve signals), which causes a relaxing or calming effect.
- Antipsychotics: Older antipsychotics, which are also called typical antipsychotics or neuroleptics, work by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain, but have the potential to cause tardive dyskinesia (uncontrollable, involuntary muscle movements). Newer antipsychotics, called atypical antipsychotics, block both dopamine and serotonin receptors and are associated with a lower risk of tardive dyskinesia and other movement disorders.
- Mood stabilizers: This type of medication modulates neurotransmitters in the brain to help manage mood swings.
- Stimulants: These medications increase the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine and norepinephrine, to improve attention span, impulse control, executive functioning, and hyperactivity.
How long after beginning medication will it start to work?
Answer: Stimulants and antianxiety medications start working quickly, even within hours of starting to take them. Buspirone, an antianxiety medication with a different method of action, can take three to four weeks to reach full effectiveness.
It takes more time for you to feel the effects of antidepressants, usually between four and eight weeks, and mood stabilizers can also take several weeks for you to notice an improvement in your symptoms. Antipsychotics can take between six weeks and a few months before they reach full effectiveness.
What side effects can these medications cause?
Answer: Most mental health medications have the potential to cause side effects, but for many people they are mild or go away after they have been taking the medication for a while.
For antidepressants, the most common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Increased appetite, weight gain
- Fatigue, drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Restlessness, anxiety
Many of the side effects of antianxiety medications are similar to those of antidepressants and can include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Sexual dysfunction
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Short term memory problems
Antipsychotic medications also share many of these side effects, including dry mouth, dizziness, weight gain, headaches, and sexual dysfunction. In addition, they can cause:
- Loss of menstrual periods for women
- Blurred vision
- Tardive dyskinesia and other movement disorders
- Fluid retention
Mood stabilizer side effects can include:
- Tremors
- Nausea
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Fatigue, sleepiness
- Short term memory problems
- Problems concentrating
- Weight gain
- Increased thirst and urination
- Dry mouth
- Irritability
- Sleep problems
- Diarrhea
- Rash
Stimulant medications can cause a range of side effects, including:
- Decreased appetite
- Weight loss
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Tics
- Anxiety
- Variations in blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
How can I manage side effects?
Answer: Talk with your physician if any side effects are severe or interfere with your daily life. They may suggest a change in dosage, medication, or timing of when you take your medication. In addition, you can try these strategies:
- Nausea: Take your medication with food unless told not to; eat smaller, more frequent meals; drink enough fluids
- Increased appetite, weight gain: Choose healthy, filling foods; get regular exercise; work with a dietitian to develop an eating plan
- Fatigue, drowsiness: Ask your physician about taking your medication before bed; get regular physical activity; take brief daytime naps
- Dry mouth: Drink enough fluids; chew sugarless gum; ask your physician about over-the-counter treatments for dry mouth like mouthwashes
- Insomnia: Ask your physician about taking the medication in the morning; avoid or decrease caffeine intake; don’t exercise too close to bedtime
- Headache: Take over-the-counter pain reliever as directed; contact your physician immediately if your headaches are severe, don’t respond to over-the-counter medications, or are frequent
- Constipation: Increase dietary fiber and water intake; get regular exercise; try a fiber supplement
- Dizziness: Increase the amount of water you drink; avoid caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol; ask about taking the medication at bedtime when you’re less likely to feel the impact of dizziness
- Restlessness, anxiety: Try breathing exercises or meditation; exercise regularly
Frequently asked questions about mental health medications
PinnacleCare can help
Having the proper support, treatment and care for your mental health is imperative. The PinnacleCare team can help you find the most qualified mental health provider for your situation, provide you with unbiased, research-based information on treatment options and medications, and manage the logistics of your care so you can focus on your mental and physical health. Contact our team to learn more.
PinnacleCare is a member of the Sun Life Financial Inc. (“Sun Life”) family of companies. PinnacleCare and its employees do not diagnose medical conditions, recommend treatment options or provide medical care, and any information or services provided should not be considered medical advice. Any medical decisions should be made only after consultation with and at the direction of your medical provider. Any person or entity who provides health care services following a referral or other service provided does so independently and not as an agent or representative of PinnacleCare.
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