How Do Mood Stabilizers Work?

How Do Mood Stabilizers Work?

Mood stabilizers are types of medications that work to rebalance and stabilize brain chemistry. These medications are prescribed primarily for individuals with bipolar disorder, which features intense and unpredictable mood shifts. However, this class of medications has also proven effective for other types of mental health challenges. If you are interested in learning more about these medications and wonder, “How do mood stabilizers work?” please read on.

What are Mood Stabilizers?

Mood stabilizers are a class of psychotropic medications that is useful for treating certain types of mental health disorders. These include bipolar depression, impulse control disorder, and certain personality disorders and psychotic disorders.

The three types of mood stabilizers include:

• Lithium. Lithium is a natural mineral used to help prevent bipolar manic episodes. There are two types of lithium: lithium citrate and lithium carbonate.
• Anticonvulsants. These medications are commonly prescribed for treat seizure disorders, but has also been proven effective for bipolar disorder. Brand names include Tegretol, Depakote, and Lamictal.
• Antipsychotics. These medications are effective in treating individuals with severe mental illness, such as psychotic disorders. Brand names include Abilify, Zyprexa, and Seroquel.

Understanding Bipolar Disorder

The prevailing characteristics of bipolar disorder are intense mood swings, specifically shifts from manic episodes to depressive episodes. Changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, emotions, and behaviors accompany the mood swings. Many times, the shifts in mood state are unexpected, making this type of mental illness difficult to manage.

Living with bipolar disorder can prove challenging, as the erratic mood changes make it difficult to maintain normal relationships. People with bipolar struggle to sustain employment, as the mood episodes cause absenteeism and loss of productivity. 

There are four subtypes of bipolar disorder which each having unique features. These include:

• Bipolar Disorder I
• Bipolar Disorder II
• Cyclothymic Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Most Commonly Prescribed Mood Stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are a class of medications that is used to help individuals with symptoms related to bipolar disorder. In addition, mood stabilizers can help those with other mental health conditions that also feature unstable mood states.

Mood stabilizers target the interior of cells and modulate the activity of enzymes, ion channels and other intracellular pathways. The medication’s action helps to modulate the severity of symptoms related to the mood states. They also play a role in reducing future mood episodes.

The most common mood stabilizers are:

• Lithium
• Depakote
• Lamictal
• Topamax
• Seroquel
• Neurontin

How Do Mood Stabilizers Work?

When asking how do mood stabilizers work, it helps to understand the way they alter neurochemical balances in the brain. For example, mood stabilizers regulate the chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters. Modulating the neurochemical activity results in more balanced and stable mood states.

Mood Stabilizer Lithium’s Side Effects

Although lithium is a helpful medication for those with severe mood disorders, it may also cause side effects. Lithium side effects may include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Frequent need to urinate
• Excessive thirst
• Shaking
• Headaches
• Excess thirst
• Skin rash
• Shaking of the hands
• Changes in vision
• Seizures
• Loss of motor coordination
• Hallucinations
• Drowsiness
• Weight gain
• Tinnitus

What Mental Health Disorders Do Mood Stabilizers Treat?

Mood stabilizers treat a variety of mental health disorders, with each disorder benefiting from a specific type of these medications. These include:

Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar disorder is a complex mental illness. It features extreme mood swings between mania and depression. There are four types of bipolar disorder, each with its own symptom profile. Lithium treats mania and Lamictal treats depressive states.

Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a type of mental illness in the category of psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia is characterized by a loss of touch with reality, such as symptoms of psychosis. Antipsychotics are the standard for treatment of schizophrenia.

Borderline Personality Disorder. BPD is a serious mental health condition that features unregulated emotions, unstable relationships, and poor self-esteem. Antipsychotics and anticonvulsants are the types of mood stabilizers prescribed for BPD.

Residential Treatment for Mood Disorders

While outpatient treatment may suffice for many people struggling with a mood disorder, sometimes a higher level of care is appropriate. For instance, the medication may not be effective in relieving symptoms of the mood disorder, causing symptoms to worsen.

A residential treatment center provides a safe, structured setting where the individual can truly focus on their mental health. The inpatient setting allows the person to improve psychosocial skills while medication can be recalibrated and observed.

The residential mental health center offers a varied program with all aspects of wellness considered in the treatment planning. These treatments include:

• Acute Stabilization. Someone with deteriorating bipolar disorder may experience extreme depressive or manic episodes that can put them in danger of harming themselves or others. As this is considered a psychiatric emergency, the individual will required specialized stabilization interventions and monitoring until they can step down to the residential programming.
• Medication: Mood stabilizers, such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, are the most commonly prescribed medications for treating bipolar disorder. There is no specific medication for borderline personality, although those medications can help manage BPD symptoms.
• Psychotherapy: Thoughts can influence mood and behaviors, and negative thoughts can lead to mood swings. CBT helps you identify thought distortions or triggers that lead to the unstable moods, and help you change them.
• Family therapy. Family-focused group therapy can assist family members in gaining a better understanding of their loved one’s illness.
• Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy.  IPSRT teaches life skills that help you develop a more stable mood state. This therapy focuses on forming a consistent daily routine, as well as improving relationships and stress management.
• Holistic: Holistic therapies can help promote overall wellness. These might include massage therapy, yoga, deep breathing techniques, mindfulness, journaling, and guided meditation.

Now armed with answers to your question “How do mood stabilizers work?” hopefully you’ll reach out for medical support. 

Robles Ranch Mental Health Residential Treatment for Mood Disorder

Robles Ranch Mental Health provides residential primary mental health treatment services for individuals seeking help for a mood disorder. If you are curious about how mood stabilizers can reduce severity of symptoms, please reach out today at (866) 840-3841.