With mental disorder diagnoses becoming more common, many people are looking for viable mental disorder treatments every day. Have you visited a mental health professional lately? According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, just over 19% of adults received some mental health treatment in 2019. Roughly 10% of these individuals sought counseling or therapy, and almost 16% of them received mental health prescription medicine. A few years later, a 2022 Hopkins Medicine report indicated that close to 26% of adults in the U.S. struggle with mental illness. In other words, statistically, one out of four individuals has a mental disorder. With such a significant ratio, the need for mental health medication can’t be stressed enough.
Psychiatric Medication
While psychiatric medications can’t cure mental disorders, they can help significantly improve your symptoms. Additionally, they help make other treatments, such as psychotherapy, more effective. The best medication for your particular case must be recommended by your psychiatrist. The right choice also depends on how your body reacts to the medication. A qualified psychiatrist should only prescribe psychiatric drugs after a diagnosis. Depending on their findings, they may recommend the following medications.
Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs)
If a psychiatrist diagnoses a patient with anxiety, depression, or other related disorders, they’ll recommend antidepressants. These medications help to improve symptoms like hopelessness, sadness, lack of interest, and difficulty concentrating. This treatment option might include antidepressants like Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, Cymbalta, or Effexor.
Anti-Anxiety Medications (Benzodiazepines)
Patients with various anxiety disorders, like panic disorders and generalized anxiety disorders, improve drastically if they use anti-anxiety medications. The medication also helps with other conditions like insomnia and agitation. Anti-anxiety medication includes lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and chlordiazepoxide (Librium.)
Mood-Stabilizing Medications
If your psychiatrist diagnoses you with bipolar disorder, they’ll most likely prescribe a mood-stabilizing medication such as lithium, lamotrigine (Lamictal), or valproic acid (Depakene.) These medications can also help to treat depression when used with antidepressants.
Antipsychotic Medications
The above drugs are prescribed to patients with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They can also be used to treat depression when used in combination with antidepressants. Examples of antipsychotic medication include quetiapine (Seroquel), risperidone (Risperdal), ziprasidone (Zeldox), clozapine (Clozaril), and paliperidone (Invega.)
Psychiatric medications benefit people struggling with mental illnesses. These drugs help control the triggering symptoms that lead to mental problems. Give us a call at SouthEnd Psychiatry today to schedule an appointment. We’re dedicated to helping people maintain their mental health.
