Many people take prescribed drugs as part of their treatment. However, there is recognition that the prescription of drugs is not always the most helpful solution. Normally, someone now going to their GP for the first time with mild depression or anxiety should not be offered medication straight away but should be offered talking treatments or self-help support first. When medication is used it may be prescribed alongside talking treatments.

Mental health medication falls into four main categories: antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and benzodiazepines.

Antidepressants

These are commonly used to treat moderate to severe depression, but can also be used for anxiety, panic attacks and obsessional problems, eating disorders and post traumatic stress disorder. There are several types of antidepressant and generally they help to balance low mood and calm anxiety.

Modern antidepressants are not as addictive as these drugs used to be. They can, however, take several weeks to become effective during which time people may experience unpleasant side effects. Not everyone suffers with these effects and they often get much better when the antidepressant starts to take effect. It is important to persevere through this phase and discuss any difficulties with the GP.

Antipsychotics

In psychotic illnesses chemical imbalances in the brain produce many of the perception problems associated with psychosis. There are a number of antipsychotic medications which attempt to regulate these imbalances and to manage symptoms such as hearing voices or delusional thinking.

Unfortunately, antipsychotics, particularly the older ones, can have unpleasant side effects but there are other drugs that can help alleviate these.

Mood Stabilisers

These are prescribed for people with a psychotic illness who experience significant mood swings. The most common is lithium, which is taken long-term to alleviate the extremes of depression and mania common in bipolar disorder. It is not addictive but can be toxic in high doses so blood tests should be regularly carried out and the dose adjusted.

Benzodiazepines

These are usually seen as an emergency treatment only and are given for treatment of severe anxiety or distress. They include sleeping pills and tranquilisers. They are addictive and while in the past, they were given long-term with difficult addictive effects, they are now used for as short a period as possible.