Mood Stabilizers: Uses, Side Effects, and Treatment

Understanding Mood Stabilizers

What Are Mood Stabilizer Drugs?

Mood stabilizers are a type of medication used by healthcare professionals to treat bipolar disorder and other mental health disorders.

These drugs are specifically used to help those with bipolar disorder manage their symptoms of manic and depressive episodes. The medications can help decrease the symptoms of mania, including rapid mood swings, sleep difficulties, racing thoughts, and risky behaviors. In some cases, they can act as preventatives by preventing symptoms from coming back or preventing hospitalization for acute psychiatric episodes.

How Do Mood Stabilizers Work?

Mood stabilizers work by affecting specific brain receptors that regulate and maintain neurotransmitter release. 

Neurotransmitters are how your body communicates. They act as messengers, carrying signals from one nerve cell to another, as well as to glandular or muscular cells. This communication network supports movement, touch sensation, heart function, and the body’s ability to receive and respond to information from internal organs and the surrounding environment.

When used, mood stabilizers can support the management of low serotonin levels experienced in depression or excess dopamine levels that can lead to schizophrenia.

What Are the Top 5 Mood Stabilizers?

The five most common mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions are:

• Lithium carbonate (Lithobid)

Anticonvulsants (antiepileptic drugs)

The following medications can also be prescribed to help manage the symptoms of seizure disorders like epilepsy:

• Valproate (Valproic acid)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Antipsychotics

• Quetiapine (Seroquel)

Other medications used to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions, such as schizoaffective disorder, specifically to treat manic and depressive symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. These medications are:

• Zyprexa
• Oxcarbazepine
• Risperdal
• Risperidone
• Olanzapine
• Aripiprazole

Sodium channel mood stabilizers, like carbamazepine and valproate, are used mostly to stabilize mood and decrease the symptoms of mania associated with bipolar disorder. These medications inhibit your brain cells to help reduce neuronal excitability. Neuronal excitability is linked to the ability to generate electrical signals and respond to stimuli, which is vital for your nervous system’s ability to process information.

Is Lithium A Mood Stabilizer?

Yes, lithium has been used for several years to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Mental health professionals have prescribed lithium as a first-line medication to treat symptoms of bipolar disorder. A study reports that it has been prescribed for approximately 70 years and is a part of treatment guidelines. 

Are Antidepressants Mood Stabilizers?

No, they are a type of medication used to treat anxiety and depression.

These medications help improve mood, but can not help stabilize the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder. Sometimes, the use of antidepressants, when prescribed alone, can cause manic episodes.

Mood Stabilizers Uses & Treatment

What Helps With Bipolar Disorder?

The effective, evidence-based treatments used to manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder include a combination of lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and medication.

Daily routines, psychoeducation, and support from loved ones can also improve overall well-being and support symptom management and mood stabilization. At Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, our mental health professionals provide psychoeducation and recreation-based treatments that support symptom stabilization and management and provide comprehensive care.

When Should You Consider Mood Stabilizers?

Mood stabilizers can help manage bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. If you think you can benefit from them, talk with your mental health professional or doctor.

While mood stabilizers have been proven to help manage psychiatric symptoms associated with bipolar disorder, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor or mental health provider before beginning to take one.

Your doctor or mental health provider will consider the following before they prescribe a mood stabilizer:

• Medications you’ve taken previously and how you responded to them
• The severity of your symptoms and your diagnosis
• If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding

Which Mood Disorder Medication Is Right For Me?

Medication to help stabilize mood swings, for example, from bipolar depression and hypomania, varies from one individual to another.

The medication that is right for you depends on your type of mood disorder, symptoms, and what your mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, decides is right for you. Our medical and psychiatric professionals decide what is best for your unique needs based on the comprehensive assessment you receive when you begin treatment with us.

Do I Need A Mood Stabilizer Or Antidepressant?

Your psychiatrist or mental health professional will prescribe either a mood stabilizer or an antidepressant depending on your specific diagnosis and symptoms.

Antidepressants are prescribed for managing the symptoms of depression, while mood stabilizers are usually used to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder. An individual’s healthcare provider can determine if a mood stabilizer or an antidepressant would help manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder or another mental health condition.

How Long Should You Take Mood Stabilizers?

How long you can take mood stabilizers depends on the individual.

However, most people with bipolar disorder will take mood stabilizers for an extended time, sometimes throughout their life. Those who take mood stabilizers, whether for an extended amount of time or throughout their life, do so because the medications can decrease the risk of symptom relapse. When you work with your mental health professional, you can discuss your specific needs and response to your medication.

Individuals who take mood stabilizers for mental health disorders like depression can take them for several weeks or months, depending on factors such as the severity of symptoms. 

Side Effects of Mood Stabilizers

What Are The Side Effects Of Mood Stabilizers?

The side effects of mood stabilizers depend on which one an individual is taking. Some of them include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Weight gain
• Low sodium
• Dizziness Drowsiness
• Loss of appetite 
• Dry mouth

Valproate is most likely to increase the risk of nausea and can cause liver inflammation. If you are taking valproate, your doctor will monitor your well-being by ordering liver lab tests and blood tests. Lamotrigine’s most well-known side effect is Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The symptoms of Stevens-Johnson syndrome are:

• Fever
• A red, blistering rash that covers the skin and mucous membranes. It often spreads to the midsection (trunk) of the body.
• Flu-like symptoms

If you experience any of these side effects, let your doctor or mental health professional know immediately. While Stevens-Johnson syndrome is rare, if left untreated, it can lead to death.

Two of the more serious side effects include:

• Suicidal thoughts
• Worsening depression

When you are taking mood stabilizers, you must talk with your mental health provider about any side effects you may be experiencing. Throughout your stay at Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility, you will receive medication management. During these sessions, you can talk about how you’re doing, and our Doctor will adjust your medication if necessary. Additionally, our Aftercare and Opt-in programs provide continued medication management services.

Most often, the side effects will disappear as your body becomes accustomed to the medication.

If you or a loved one is experiencing severe symptoms like self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or worsening depression, go to the nearest emergency department or call 988.

Do Mood Stabilizers Make You Gain Weight?

Some of the mood stabilization medications used to treat mental health conditions, especially bipolar disorder, are associated with weight gain.

A few of the medications used to treat bipolar disorder can cause weight gain because they increase an individual’s appetite or change how your body processes and uses food for energy. 

However, not everyone will gain weight while taking these medications. This is because not everyone reacts the same to mood stabilizers, as well as factors such as:

• Dietary habits
• Lifestyle
• Metabolism

Talk with your doctor or mental health professional about issues like weight gain to decide which medication will work best for you. You may need dosage adjustments or a different type before you find what is right for your overall well-being.

Mood stabilizers often associated with weight gain are:

• Lithium
• Divalproex
• Carbamazepine
• Lamotrigine

Divalproex is the most likely to increase the chances of weight gain, while lamotrigine is the least likely. If you do gain weight, you can talk with your mental health professional as well as make changes such as:

• Engaging in exercise at least 3-4 times a week
• Eating a nutritionally balanced diet that consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and lean proteins
• Keeping track of portion size
• Keep stress to a minimum
• Get enough sleep

Can Mood Stabilizers Cause Anxiety?

No, mood stabilizers aren’t usually associated with anxiety.

Even though mood stabilizers are not known to trigger anxiety, some individuals can have side effects that can include increased anxiety. Some individuals can be prescribed mood stabilizers to help manage their anxiety symptoms. While they are not a first-line treatment for anxiety disorders, they can be combined with other medications to help maintain symptom management of mood and anxiety disorders. 

The effectiveness of mood stabilizers for treatment of anxiety can vary from one individual to another because of factors such as:

• Co-occurring mood disorders
• Response to other treatments

During medication management sessions, talk with your doctor about symptoms and side effects that disrupt your daily life. 

Can Mood Stabilizers Affect Personality?

Yes, they can affect personality traits by stabilizing emotional reactions to situations.

While mood stabilizers are used primarily to manage symptoms associated with mood swings, they can decrease emotional responses such as:

• Aggression
• Impulsivity (often linked to risky behaviors)

These medications change how individuals perceive situations and interact with others. These changes can improve relationships with friends and family members, as well as work colleagues.

Are Mood Stabilizers Safe During Pregnancy?

Yes and no: no mood stabilizers are proven to be completely safe during pregnancy; however, lamotrigine, because it has the lowest risk of congenital malformations (congenital disabilities) and adverse neonatal outcomes such as low birth weight or neurological issues, is considered an option for those who are pregnant.

Since there isn’t a mood stabilizer that is proven to be completely safe during pregnancy, it is vital to talk with your doctor or mental health professional about the potential side effects of taking medication versus the side effects of an untreated mental health disorder throughout the pregnancy. 

Risks of Using Mood Stabilizers

Can Mood Stabilizers Get You High?

No, they can not get you “high.”

Individuals are prescribed mood stabilizers to manage the symptoms of mood disorders like bipolar disorder because they can help stabilize mood swings. These medications do not produce the feeling of euphoria like alcohol or opioids can.

Can You OD On Mood Stabilizers?

Yes, it is possible to overdose on mood stabilizers.

The gradual buildup over time in your body or a single excessive dose of a mood stabilizer can potentially cause neurological damage or organ failure. However, it is essential to understand the difference between a one-time acute ingestion and chronic toxicity. Chronic toxicity develops when a mood stabilizer builds up in an individual’s bloodstream over time, often several days or weeks. This buildup often results from dehydration or changes in kidney function. To prevent this, your doctor or mental health professional will monitor your dosage with blood tests.

If you experience any of these side effects, notify your doctor or mental health professional immediately.

What Happens If You Stop Mood Stabilizers Suddenly?

The sudden discontinuation of mood stabilizers can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as:

• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Irritability

To avoid these symptoms, your doctor will work with you to gradually reduce your dosage.

Can Mood Stabilizers Stop Working?

Yes, mood stabilizers can stop working over time.

Several factors affect how effective your mood stabilizer is and whether it continues to work. These factors are:

• Stress levels
• Sleep patterns
• Changes in your body
• If you stop taking your medication as directed

During medication management sessions, talk with your doctor if you notice a change in your medication’s effectiveness.

Which Mood Stabilizer Is Safest?

Both lithium and lamotrigine are considered the safest medications for treating bipolar disorder.

Doctors prescribe lithium for long-term treatment of bipolar disorder because evidence-based studies show its benefits include protection against suicide. To avoid toxicity, your doctor will ensure you have regular blood tests.

Lamotrigine is another mood stabilizer that is thought of as safe for individuals, especially those with bipolar depression. However, it carries a small risk of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Mood Stabilizers and Managing Mental Health

What Are The Signs You Need A Mood Stabilizer?

Individuals who experience the symptoms of bipolar disorder may benefit from a mood stabilizer.

The symptoms of bipolar disorder can have a significant impact on an individual’s daily life because they disrupt routines. These symptoms include:

• Severe mood swings
• Episodes of mania or hypomania
• Depression

If you or a loved one is experiencing these symptoms, talk with a doctor. Sometimes, these symptoms can develop into an acute psychiatric episode that requires stabilization and management. Ocean View provides safe, empathetic acute symptom treatment, stabilization, and management. 

Can Mood Stabilizers Help With Anxiety?

Yes, mood stabilizers can help manage the symptoms of anxiety.

Mental health professionals will prescribe mood stabilizers to help stabilize or maintain the symptoms of anxiety, especially when medications that are first-line treatments are ineffective.

Can Mood Stabilizers Help With Depression?

Yes, mood stabilizers are effective in stabilizing and maintaining the symptoms of depression.

Individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder are often prescribed mood stabilizers because they help treat the symptoms of depression. Mood stabilizers can also be prescribed for those who have not responded to antidepressant medications.

Can Mood Stabilizers Help ADHD?

Yes and no.

Mood stabilizers are used primarily to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder and mood disorders, not ADHD. However, in some instances, mood stabilizers can be prescribed where mood management is required in the treatment of ADHD.

How Else Can You Treat Mood Disorders?

Several other types of treatment are used to stabilize and manage the symptoms of mood disorders such as:

• Talk therapy
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
• Light therapy, which is proven to be effective for seasonal affective disorder (SAD)