Sertraline (Zoloft) has maintained its lead since we last did this review in 2018. It's a common, older selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) prescribed to help alleviate the symptoms of depression. It remains the most prescribed psychiatric medication in the United States.
The main types of psychiatric medication are: antidepressants. antipsychotics.
Some of the most commonly used are antidepressants, anti-anxiety, antipsychotic, mood stabilizing, and stimulant medications.
More than seventy years after its discovery, lithium remains the most effective medication in all of psychiatry, with a response rate of more than 70% for patients with bipolar disorder.
The safest drug for treating psychosis is lurasidone, the safest for ADHD is methylphenidate and the safest mood stabiliser is lithium.
Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of mental illness provided by a trained mental health professional. Psychotherapy explores thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and seeks to improve an individual's well-being. Psychotherapy paired with medication is the most effective way to promote recovery.
SSRIs. This group of drugs, including fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Cipralex) and sertraline (Zoloft), is usually the first choice for treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.
Commonly prescribed SSRIs include sertraline and citalopram. Side effects may include insomnia, anxiety, nausea, sexual dysfunction, and diarrhea. Medications known as atypical antidepressants may also be prescribed to manage some anxiety disorders. These medications include bupropion and mirtazapine.
The most common are anxiety disorders major depression and bipolar disorder.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 1 in every 5 Americans is currently living with a mental illness. Of those, the three most common diagnoses are anxiety disorders, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Serious Mental Illness (SMI) – SMI is a smaller and more severe subset of mental illnesses; SMI is defined as one or more mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder(s) resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (NIMH).
Clear, honest communication is crucial for all family members. For example, don't be afraid to ask both your ill and healthy children how they feel about the changes to the family. Keeping a line of communication open will help things go more smoothly—both at the time of a new diagnosis, and well into the future.
Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping. Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations. Inability to cope with daily problems or stress. Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people.
Of the atypical antipsychotics, risperidone is the weakest in terms of atypicality criteria.
Atypical antipsychotics such as quetiapine, aripiprazole, olanzapine, and risperidone have been shown to be helpful in addressing a range of anxiety and depressive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, and have since been used in the treatment of a range of mood and anxiety disorders ...
Most Frequently Prescribed Psychotropic Drugs
Xanax (alprazolam), 48.5 million. Zoloft (sertraline), 41.4 million. Celexa (citalopram), 39.4 million. Prozac (fluoxetine), 28.3 million.