Yes, lithium can effectively help lift depression, particularly when used to treat bipolar depression or as an adjunct (add-on) therapy for major depressive disorder (unipolar depression) that hasn't responded to other treatments.
In addition, lithium is used as monotherapy to treat acute episodes of unipolar depression and as maintenance treatment to prevent recurrence of unipolar depressive episodes. Lithium was first used by psychiatrists in the mid-1800s [3]. The first controlled trial of lithium for unipolar depression was in 1968.
In January 2025, the FDA expanded its approval of Spravato as a stand-alone therapy in adults with severe depression. Esketamine, administered under medical supervision, is now approved in more than 90 countries and used increasingly around the world.
Stick to a routine
Having a routine can help you feel calmer if your mood is high, motivated if your mood is low, and generally more stable. Your routine could include: Day-to-day activities, such as the time you eat meals and go to sleep. Making time for relaxation, mindfulness, hobbies and social plans.
Apart from impulsivity, lithium also reduces depressive symptoms, relapse frequency and hospitalisation in mood disorders, potentially through its regulating effects on emotion2,4,5,13.
Lithium is a type of medicine known as a mood stabiliser. It's used to treat mood disorders such as: mania (feeling highly excited, overactive or distracted)
Substantial affect and mood changes are induced by lithium carbonate. Lethargy, dysphoria, a loss of interest in interacting with others and the environment, and a state of increased mental confusion were reported.
Manic or Hypomanic Episodes: These can last from a few days to several weeks. Hypomanic episodes are generally shorter and less severe than manic episodes. Depressive Episodes: These typically last longer, from weeks to months, and can be more difficult to manage.
Lithium is a mood stabilising medication commonly used to treat bipolar disorder. It can be prescribed as: lithium carbonate (Camcolit, Priadel, Liskonum) lithium citrate (Li-liquid, Priadel).
Research suggests that depression doesn't spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, and stressful life events.
There's good news for people with severe treatment-resistant depression: Esketamine is a groundbreaking therapy that can provide relief from major depression within hours.
Antidepressants
Fluoxetine Capsules or Tablets (Depression/Mood Disorders) Fluoxetine is a medication that treats depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorders. It increases the amount of the hormone serotonin in your brain to help regulate your mood. The brand name of this medication is Prozac®.
Lithium may take several weeks or months to work. How will it make me feel? If you have the right amount of lithium in your blood, you probably will not have any problems with your medicine. However, some people find it slows down their thinking or makes them feel a bit “numb”.
To reduce the recurrence risk to 50% for any mood, depression, and mania requires lithium concentration of 0.60 mmol/l, 1.05 mmol/l, and 0.50 mmol/l, respectively. Prevention of depressive episodes may require a higher serum lithium level than that of manic episodes.
Chronic lithium treatment also exerted some effects on motivational behavior. Similar to lithium blockade of GBR-induced enhancement of learning, lithium only exerted attenuating effects in GBR-induced increased motivation.
Reduce Stress
Conditions such as borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder, ADHD, and schizoaffective disorder may mimic aspects of bipolar disorder, including mood swings, impulsivity, or episodes of depression and mania-like behavior.
Lithium has been the gold standard for the treatment of bipolar disorder for seven decades due to its efficacy in preventing mood episodes and reducing risk of dying by suicide.
Although symptoms may come and go, bipolar disorder usually requires lifelong treatment and does not go away on its own. Bipolar disorder can be an important factor in suicide, job loss, ability to function, and family discord. However, proper treatment can lead to better functioning and improved quality of life.
People often feel very excited during a manic episode and make impulsive decisions. Depression is pretty much the opposite—low energy, with feelings of sadness or despair. Stress can trigger one of these episodes, but often the shift happens without any clear explanation.
One review of 51 papers found that while depressive episodes peak in early winter, manic episodes and mixed episodes (involving symptoms of mania and depression) tend to peak during spring and summer. But it's complicated: Some people with bipolar actually do better during this time of year.
Lithium is a mood stabilising medicine. Taking lithium helps you have more control over your emotions. It helps you cope better with the mood swings of bipolar disorder. It is not addictive.
Long-term lithium use may cause cortical atrophy and cognitive dysfunctions. Patients who use lithium should be monitored with brain MRI.