Other Bipolar Medications

Sometimes, people may need to use other types of medications to treat bipolar disorder. Antipsychotic medications (which are usually used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions) can be used to treat episodes of mania, since people with mania sometimes have psychotic symptoms (such as hallucinations or delusions). While these medications are usually used temporarily, they can be useful for long-term treatment in people especially prone to manic episodes. Bipolar medications in this category include:

 

Sometimes, older "first-generation" antipsychotic medications are used to treat bipolar mania, although they are typically not tried first. These medications can include:

 

Other people may be more prone to depressive episodes, and may benefit from taking an antidepressant. However, it is usually recommended that antidepressants be used only in people already taking a mood stabilizer, as antidepressants can cause a "manic switch" (a sudden switch from depression to mania) in people with bipolar disorder. A combination product called Symbyax^® is available to treat bipolar depression. Symbyax contains fluoxetine (Prozac^®), an antidepressant, and olanzapine (Zyprexa^.), an antipsychotic.