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What are mood stabilizers?

Mood stabilizers are used primarily to treat bipolar disorder, mood swings associated with other mental disorders, and in some cases, to augment the effect of other medications used to treat depression. Lithium , which is an effective mood stabilizer, is approved for the treatment of mania and the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder. A number of cohort studies describe anti-suicide benefits of lithium for individuals on long-term maintenance. Mood stabilizers work by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain and are also sometimes used to treat:

Depression (usually along with an antidepressant)

Schizoaffective Disorder

Disorders of impulse control

Certain mental illnesses in children

Anticonvulsant medications are also used as mood stabilizers. They were originally developed to treat seizures, but they were found to help control unstable moods as well. One anticonvulsant commonly used as a mood stabilizer is valproic acid (also called divalproex sodium). For some people, especially those with “mixed” symptoms of mania and depression or those with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, valproic acid may work better than lithium. Other anticonvulsants used as mood stabilizers include:

Carbamazepine

Lamotrigine

Oxcarbazepine

What are the possible side effects of mood stabilizers?

Mood stabilizers can cause several side effects, and some of them may become serious, especially at excessively high blood levels.

These side effects include:

Itching, rash

Excessive thirst

Frequent urination

Tremor (shakiness) of the hands

Nausea and vomiting

Slurred speech

Fast, slow, irregular, or pounding heartbeat

Blackouts

Changes in vision

Seizures

Hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)

Loss of coordination

Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs.If a person with bipolar disorder is being treated with lithium, he or she should visit the doctor or PA regularly to check the lithium levels his or her blood, and make sure the kidneys and the thyroid are working normally.

Lithium is eliminated from the body through the kidney, so the dose may need to be lowered in older people with reduced kidney function. Also, loss of water from the body, such as through sweating or diarrhea, can cause the lithium level to rise, requiring a temporary lowering of the daily dose. Although kidney functions are checked periodically during lithium treatment, actual damage of the kidney is uncommon in people whose blood levels of lithium have stayed within the therapeutic range.

Mood stabilizers may cause other side effects that are not included in this list. To report any serious adverse effects associated with the use of these medicines, please contact the FDA MedWatch program using the contact information at the bottom of this page. For more information about the risks and side effects for each individual medication, please see Drugs@FDA .

For more information on the side effects of Carbamazepine , Lamotrigine , and Oxcarbazepine , please visit MedlinePlus Drugs, Herbs and Supplements .

Some possible side effects linked anticonvulsants (such as valproic acid) include:

Drowsiness

Dizziness

Headache

Diarrhea

Constipation

Changes in appetite

Weight changes

Back pain

Agitation

Mood swings

Abnormal thinking

Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body

Loss of coordination

Uncontrollable movements of the eyes

Blurred or double vision

Ringing in the ears

Hair loss

These medications may also:

Cause damage to the liver or pancreas, so people taking it should see their doctors regularlyIncrease testosterone (a male hormone) levels in teenage girls and lead to a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (a disease that can affect fertility and make the menstrual cycle become irregular)

Medications for common adult health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression may interact badly with anticonvulsants. In this case, a Psychiatrically trained doctor or PA can offer other medication options.

For more information about the risks and side effects for each medication, please see Drugs@FDA .

MOOD STABILIZERS

What are mood stabilizers?

What are the possible side effects of mood stabilizers?