There are five main types of mental health medications: Anti-depressant, anti-anxiety medication, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers. Each type has specific uses in treating different symptoms of mental health disorders. They are prescribed by doctors, and sometimes, these medications can be used together with psychotherapy.
Mental health medications work to adjust the number of neurotransmitters in the brain. A neurotransmitter in the brain basically works as a messenger that carries specific chemicals from one cell to another. Hyperactivity of specific neurotransmitters can cause unnecessary chemical reactions or weak neurotransmitters can cause too little production of necessary chemicals in the brain. Five main types of mental health medications lessen the symptoms of certain mental disorders by increasing or decreasing the neurotransmitters.
Anti-depressant
Anti-depressants are used to treat depression. There are two common types of anti-depressant. A more popular one is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(SSRI), but the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor(SNRI) is frequently used as well. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor increases the amount of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the hormone and the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, emotions, digestion, sleep, blood clotting, and more. The selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor increases the amount of norepinephrine in the blood. Norepinephrine is also the hormone and the neurotransmitter that is released when the body prepares to respond to stress and what it does is brings alertness. There is another type of anti-depressant called monoamine oxidase inhibitor(MOI). It is known to be more potent than SSRI and has a risk of having a stronger side effect. Monoamine oxidase inhibitor is the enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters. Taking the MOI pill reduces the monoamine oxidase activity to break down neurotransmitters in the brain, thereby increasing available neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
Stimulants
Stimulants are often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD). The stimulants increase alertness, attention, and energy by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with movement, attention, pleasure, and motivation. It works with the brain to operate a reward system for certain stimuli. Taking stimulants help people with ADHD to calm down, concentrate better, and help to manage hyperactive or impulsive behavior. There are typically two types of stimulants, short-acting and long-acting types. Short-acting stimulants effects after several hours to up to six hours, and long-acting stimulants for about twelve hours.
Anti-anxiety medications
Anti-anxiety medications are used to treat anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and other phobias that give fear and worry symptoms. Beta-blocker is the type of anti-anxiety medication that relieves the physical symptoms of anxiety such as trembling, sweating, and rapid heartbeats. Another type of anti-anxiety medication is benzodiazepines, which usually treat the short-term symptoms of anxiety. Patients with anxiety disorder can often be prescribed an antidepressant medication like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors along with taking beta-blocker or benzodiazepine. Another type of anti-anxiety medication called Buspirone is a long-term treatment for chronic anxiety. Unlike benzodiazepines, buspirone must take for few weeks to see the effect.
Antipsychotics
Antipsychotic drugs treat psychosis, a condition that affects the mind and some loss of contact with reality. Psychosis illness includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression. Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat not just psychosis but also can be used to ADHD, PTSD, OCD, and eating disorders. There are two main classifications for antipsychotic drugs which are atypical and typical types. The primary difference is that atypical antipsychotic drugs have a lower risk of side effects than typical drugs. Atypical antipsychotic drugs are the newer generation of psychotic drugs whereas the typical antipsychotic drugs are the so-called first generation of antipsychotic medications.
Mood stabilizer
Mood stabilizers are mainly used to treat bipolar disorder and other disorders associated with mood swings. Lithium is a type of mood stabilizer that decreases abnormal activities in the brain. Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder, depression, impulse control, and schizoaffective disorder. There’s also anticonvulsant medication that is used as a mood stabilizer. It was originally developed to treat seizures, but it can help control mood.
Author : Chansong Kwak
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