These medications control the severity of the highs and lows experienced by restoring the chemical balance in the brain.
Most commonly, mood stabilizers are used to treat those withbipolar disorder.
It was first discovered in Australian and Chilean mines in 1817.
Staticnak1983 / Getty Images
The exact mechanism of how lithium works as a mood stabilizer is not yet fully known.
Lithiums most recognized brand names include Eskalith, Lithobid, and Lithonate.
Anticonvulsants
Certain anticonvulsants, also referred to as anti-seizure medications, are also used as mood stabilizers.
Nevertheless, theyre all found to be very useful in helping to stabilize moods overall.
Anticonvulsant side effects vary depending on the particular agent.
Common side effects may include headaches, dry mouth, dizziness and drowsiness, fatigue, and weight gain.
However, these may also lessen over time with continual use.
In addition, the newer category of “atypical” antipsychotics also have mood-stabilizing properties of their own.
How They Work
It is not precisely known how these medications stabilize an individuals mood.
These agents have been found to impact various functions within nerve cells in the brain.
This includes modulating enzymes and impacting ion channels, cell membranes, proteins, and receptors.
In turn, these agents influence the excitatory effects of the neurotransmitter glutamate and the inhibitory effect of GABA.
In summary, it’s complicated.
What About Electroconvulsive Therapy?
It is often used for mood episodes when medications aren’t effective.
As a result, they are commonly prescribed and are an essential aspect of treatment for bipolar disorder.
Responses to different types vary from person to person, so various treatment plans are individualized.
Borderline Personality Disorder:
Mood stabilizers have been used for those experiencing emotional dysregulation andimpulsivity.
However, you should seek medical attention if they begin to interfere with your professional or personal life.
Warnings and Interactions
Those who take lithium regularly can sometimes experience a serious condition calledlithium toxicity.
In most cases, the signs of this toxicity are easily identified and managed.
In addition, healthcare providers regularly monitor lithium concentration levels through routine blood tests.
It is also recommended that those taking lithium ensure they are hydrated to maintain a healthyblood serum level.
Liver functions and blood counts are generally monitored when using these medications.
Ruffalo ML.A brief history of lithium treatment in psychiatry.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord.
2017;19(5):17br02140.
2020;11:377. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyt.2020.00377
MedlinePlus.Lithium.
2013;27(3):165173. doi:10.1007/s40263-013-0040-7
National Alliance on Mental Health.Schizoaffective disorder.
2012;4(5):301308. doi:10.4021%2Fjocmr1042w
National Kidney Foundation.Lithium and chronic kidney disease.
Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center.Facts about mood stabilizers.
2015;72(5):438445. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.3018
