Tag: Psychiatry

It is estimated that up to two-thirds of people with depression may not respond adequately to the first antidepressant they try. Recognizing the signs that your current medication isn't working as intended is the crucial first step toward finding a more effective treatment plan, helping you understand how to know if antidepressants aren't right for you.

Originally approved by the FDA in 2013, Trintellix has been prescribed to over 2 million patients in the United States. This medication, with the active ingredient vortioxetine, has a unique mechanism of action that sets it apart from other antidepressants, and this article will explain what kind of medication is Trintellix and its pharmacological profile.

According to studies, roughly a quarter of patients do not respond adequately to their first antidepressant medication and may require a switch. Understanding why a provider might recommend you switch from Lexapro (escitalopram) to Zoloft (sertraline) involves considering differences in how these two common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work, their side effects, and approved uses.

While animal studies have consistently demonstrated antidepressant-like effects of oxytocin, translating these findings to human clinical practice has proven complex and inconsistent. This raises a key question: Is oxytocin an antidepressant, and could it be a viable therapy for major depressive disorder?

Antidepressants can, in some cases, trigger a manic or hypomanic episode, particularly in individuals with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. This phenomenon, sometimes called Treatment-Emergent Affective Switch (TEAS), is a significant concern in psychiatry, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis and careful medication management.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), lamotrigine (brand name Lamictal) is approved for treating certain types of seizures and for the long-term maintenance of bipolar I disorder. Taking lamotrigine without one of these qualifying conditions, or a valid off-label prescription, can lead to side effects and serious risks with no guaranteed therapeutic benefits.

While it is highly uncommon and most mood stabilizers are specifically designed to prevent mania, some individuals have reported a paradoxical reaction where a medication intended to stabilize mood causes a manic or hypomanic episode. Understanding if a **mood stabilizer can make you manic** involves examining the rare, idiosyncratic side effects that can occur, particularly with certain drug types.

Anti-seizure medications, originally developed to treat epilepsy, are widely used as mood stabilizers for individuals with bipolar disorder. These medications help regulate the extreme mood swings, including episodes of mania, hypomania, and depression, that are characteristic of bipolar disorder. Some of the most common anti-seizure medications prescribed for bipolar disorder include lamotrigine, divalproex sodium, and carbamazepine, each with a distinct profile for managing different aspects of the illness.

According to extensive research, nearly all first- and second-generation antipsychotic drugs have been implicated in increasing the risk of epileptic seizures by lowering the seizure threshold. This means for certain individuals, the question of "do antipsychotics increase seizure risk?" is a critical clinical consideration, with the actual risk varying significantly between different medications and patient-specific factors.

Unlike many other atypical antipsychotics that are known for strong antihistaminic effects, studies have found that Abilify (aripiprazole) does not significantly increase histamine efflux in the brain. This key difference in its pharmacological profile often leads to the question, **Does Abilify raise histamine?**