Mood Stabilizers for Depression and Anxiety
Mood stabilizers are a class of medications commonly used in the treatment of mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder. This group of drugs helps to regulate the effects of bipolar by stabilizing extreme mood shifts.
Interestingly, the use of mood stabilizers for depression and anxiety treatment has been gaining traction. This handy guide provides helpful information for individuals diagnosed with depression or anxiety who may benefit from mood stabilizers.
What Are Mood Stabilizers?
Mood stabilizers are a class of drugs that help manage mood swings by regulating specific neurotransmitters in the brain. The three types of mood stabilizers include:
Lithium. This drug is a natural mineral that is used to help prevent bipolar mania. The two types of lithium are lithium citrate and lithium carbonate.
Anticonvulsants. This class of mood stabilizers is commonly used to treat seizures, but has also proven effective for bipolar disorder. Brand names include Depakote, Lamictal, and Tegretol.
Antipsychotics. These drugs are used for severe mental illness such as psychotic disorders. Brand names include Zyprexa, Seroquel, and Abilify.
Mood stabilizers can be useful for depression and anxiety when antidepressants don’t relieve symptoms. However, mood stabilizers for anxiety and depression are most appropriate when those mental health disorders feature mood swings.
About Depression
Major depressive disorder symptoms vary from mild to severe and may persist for weeks or months. Types of depression include major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, and dysthymia.
The main symptoms of depression include:
Feeling sad and hopeless most of the time
Change in sleep patterns
Fatigue
Change in eating habits; sudden weight changes
Irritability
Slowed or agitated thoughts and movements
Trouble making decisions or concentrating
Loss of interest in usual pastimes
Feelings of shame or guilt
Thoughts of suicide
About Anxiety
Anxiety disorder symptoms are triggered by a situation that causes intense feelings of worry, fear, or dread. Types of anxiety disorder include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, phobia, and panic disorder.
The main symptoms of anxiety include:
Irrational fear
Restlessness
Insomnia
Irritability
Fatigue
Trembling
Rapid breathing
Muscle tension
Increased heart rate
GI problems
Avoidance behaviors
How Mood Stabilizers Help Treat Depression and Anxiety
Mood stabilizers are useful for individuals with depression or anxiety when standard treatments have not been effective in relieving symptoms. For depression, these drugs target and balance brain chemicals dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. This results in reduced low mood and less intensive depression symptoms
For anxiety, the drugs have a relaxing effect by reducing agitation and other common symptoms of anxiety. This can be beneficial for those who did not respond to benzos or antidepressants for managing their anxiety symptoms.
Mood Stabilizers vs. Antidepressants
Both mood stabilizers and antidepressants work by targeting neurotransmitters, or the brain’s message carriers. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for the treatment of both depression and anxiety disorder.
However, in some patients, antidepressants are either ineffective in symptom relief or have side effects that are intolerable. When this is the case, an alternate drug option like mood stabilizers may be appropriate.
Antidepressant side effects. The most common side effects of antidepressants include:
Weight gain
Nausea
Sleep problems
Drowsiness
Headaches
Sexual dysfunction
Dry mouth
Restlessness
Mood stabilizer side effects. The most common side effects of mood stabilizers include (by class):
Lithium:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Thinning hair
Weight change
Increased thirst
Shaking
Confusion
Impaired vision
Antipsychotics:
Weight gain
Constipation
Drowsiness and fatigue
Dry mouth
Headaches
Muscle stiffness
Nausea
Vomiting
Blurred vision
Sexual dysfunction
Irregular periods
High blood pressure
Anticonvulsants:
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Headaches
Irregular periods
Fertility problems
Shaking
Memory problems
Fatigue
Sexual dysfunction
Blurred vision
Rashes
Joint pain
Holistic Methods for Depression and Anxiety
Sometimes combining medications like mood stabilizers for depression and anxiety with holistic activities can improve clinical results. Learning how to manage stress can be helpful for managing both depression and anxiety.
Examples of holistic methods include:
Mindfulness. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can be an effective tool for managing anxiety. Mindfulness involves focused breathing while directing attention to the present moment.
Yoga. Yoga engages the mind, body, and spirit all at once. It involves slow, intentional movements and poses combined with breathwork. Yoga helps tone and stretch muscles while achieving a calm, tranquil state of mind.
Meditation. Meditation helps to increase awareness of the present moment by training the mind to avoid distracting thoughts. Meditation time increases as you learn to stay focused on an object or word that keeps you centered.
Deep breathing. Deep breathing is a relaxation method that works swiftly to calm your body. The 5-7-5 deep breathing method is highly effective and takes only minutes. Take a breath to the count of 5; hold for a count of 7; exhale for a count of 5.
Journaling. Negative emotions caused by depression or anxiety can be released and processed through journaling. As you write down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, it helps to sort out the source of the negative emotion.
Residential Mental Health Treatment for Depression and Anxiety
For someone with depression or anxiety who presents with mood swings, mood stabilizers can be a game changer. However, sometimes the mood swings do not resolve, indicating that more intensive treatment is required to obtain the desired results. This level of care is available at a residential mental health treatment center.
An important clinical goal involves discovering which medication is best for controlling mood swings, and with the least side effects. This can be a difficult process that requires expert psychiatric care and support and is integral in residential treatment programs.
Treatment for depression and anxiety mood swings includes these elements:
Medication management
Individual psychotherapy
Group therapy
Family therapy
Holistic activities
Nutrition and exercise
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, and antidepressants haven’t been effective, there are other options available. Reach out for help today.
LifeSync Malibu Luxury Inpatient Mental Health Treatment
LifeSync Malibu is an upscale residential mental health treatment provider that is owned and operated by physicians. If you are interested in trying mood stabilizers for depression and anxiety treatment, please contact our team. To learn more, call us at (866) 491-4426.
