Common Side Effects of Psychotropic Medication

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

Side effects are very common to experience when taking psychotropic medication. Everyone responds differently to medication and has a different experience while taking these drugs. Your age, health, and the type of medication taken are all factors that contribute to the side effects that you might experience. Side effects typically dissipate after several days or weeks and can be managed successfully. Immediately report any unusual or severe side effects to your doctor as your doctor can help manage and adjust your medications accordingly. Below is a list of common side effects for psychotropic medications.

Side Effects of Antidepressants:

Normally antidepressant side effects are relatively mild and dissipate within several days, however there are circumstances where side effects can be severe. Report any side effects to your treatment of depression to your medical professional immediately.

• Headaches

• Nausea

• Sleeplessness or drowsiness

• Agitation

• Sexual problems

• Dry Mouth

• Constipation

• Bladder issues

• Blurred vision

 

Side Effects of Antipsychotics:

Side effects of antipsychotic medications can range from mild to severe. Long-term use of typical antipsychotic medications may lead to a disorder called tardive dyskinesia (TD). TD causes uncontrollable muscle movements or spasms. This disorder is less common among individuals who take the newer atypical antipsychotic medications, however consult your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects.

• Drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Weight gain

• Blurred vision

• Rapid heartbeat

• Rigidity

• Muscle spasms

• Restlessness

• Tremors

• Sensitivity to the sun

• Skin rashes

• Menstrual problems for women

 

Side Effects of Mood Stabilizers:

There are several different medications used to treat bipolar disorder and they can cause different side effects. (Reference the side effects of antidepressant medication and antipsychotic medications). Mood stabilizers such as lithium and anticonvulsant medications are more commonly used.

• Excessive thirst

• Loss of coordination

• Frequent urination

• Blackouts

• Seizures

• Slurred speech

• Irregular heartbeat

• Hallucinations

• Changes in vision

• Itching/rashes

• Swelling

• Changes in weight

• Nausea, stomach pain, vomiting

• Loss of appetite

 

Side Effects of Antianxiety Medications:

Anxiety is treated with antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and beta-blockers. The more common side effect for benzodiazepines is drowsiness. Other side effects can include:

• Upset stomach, nausea

• Drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Blurred vision

• Headache

• Confusion

• Nightmares

• Nervousness

• Lightheadedness

• Trouble sleeping

 

Common side effects from beta-blockers include:

• Fatigue

• Cold hands

• Dizziness

• Weakness

Contact Dr. Parisi for low cost therapy in Chicago, Mt. Prospect, and surrounding areas including Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

What are the Different Types of Psychotropic Medication?

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

There are many different types of psychotropic medications. Below is a list of the more popular medications along with the disorder and symptoms (and here are some of their side effects) they treat.

Depression:

Depression is treated with antidepressant medications. Antidepressants help to balance chemicals that are in our brains that affect our mood. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters and they affect our mood and emotions. These neurotransmitters are called serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The more common antidepressants are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Some examples are:

  •  Fluoxetine (Prozac)
  •  Citalopram (Celexa)
  •  Sertraline (Zoloft)
  •  Paroxetine (Paxil)
  •  Escitalopram (Lexapro)

 

Other types of antidepressants are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). SNRIs are similar to SSRIs. SSRIs and SNRIs are popular because they do not cause as many side effects as other types of antidepressants. Other antidepressant medications include tricyclics, tetracyclics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). For some people, tricyclics, tetracyclics, or MAOIs may be the best option dependent on their circumstances and needs.

Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders:

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are treated with antipsychotic medications. The older antipsychotic medications are called “typical” while the newer antipsychotic medications are referred to as “atypical” antipsychotic medication. These medications treat psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions.

‘Typical’ Antipsychotic medication:

  •  Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
  •  Haloperidol (Haldol)
  •  Perphenazine (generic only)
  •  Fluphenazine (generic only)

 

‘Atypical’ Antipsychotic Medication:

  •  Risperidone (Risperdal)
  •  Clozapine (Clozaril)
  •  Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
  •  Quetiapine (Seroquel)
  •  Ziprasidone (Geodon)
  •  Aripiprazole (Abilify)
  •  Paliperidone (Invega)
  •  Lurasidone (Latuda)

 

Bipolar Disorder:

Bipolar disorder, also called manic-depressive disorder, is treated with mood stabilizers. At times it can be appropriate to treat bipolar disorder with antipsychotic medications or antidepressants, along with a mood stabilizer. Lithium is one of the most common mood stabilizers and is very effective. Anticonvulsant medications are sometimes used as mood stabilizers as they were found to help control mood. For some people this might work better than Lithium.

Anxiety:

Anti-anxiety medications, antidepressant, and beta-blockers all treat anxiety symptoms. Some of the commonly know disorders include OCD, PTSD, Panic disorder, Social Phobia, and Generalized Anxiety. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat anxiety and start working faster than antidepressants. Beta-blockers can also be used to treat anxiety as these medications help to control some of the physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating and shaking. These medicines can help keep physical symptoms under control.

  •  Clonazepam (Klonopin)
  •  Lorazepam (Ativan)
  •  Alprazolam (Xana)

 

Contact Dr. Parisi for low cost therapy in Chicago, Mt. Prospect, and surrounding areas including Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, and Wilmette.

How Do I Know When Psychotropic Medication Might Help Me?

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

Psychotropic medications are used to treat severe and disabling mental health disorders. They treat disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and anxiety. These disorders often cause serious debilitating symptoms that interferer with daily activities. Unfortunately psychotropic medications do not cure these disorders, however they can provide a significant amount of relief for disabling symptoms and they can help people live healthy and happy lives. There are so many options when it comes to the types medication treatment. With help from a medical practitioner you can find the right kind of medication for you. This may take several attempts, as finding the right type of medication is often a trial and error process.

It’s not always easy to know when to seek help from a doctor or a medical practitioner. Making the decision to take psychotropic medication involves recognizing you have a serious issue that affects the overall quality of your life and interferes with your daily functioning. People come to the decision after careful consideration of all of their options. For example, consider what other treatments you have tried in the past and the symptoms you would like to treat. Research suggests that for certain issues a combination of medication along with psychotherapy often leads to the best results for certain disorders. For other issues psychotherapy may be the best option. Again its important to discuss all of these options with your health care provider and consider what you have tried in the past. After having considered all your options, medication might be your best course of treatment. The decision to take medication is very serious because of the serious side effects you can experience. It is important to remember, that these medications work differently for individuals and finding the right one for is a process. It may take several trials before you find the correct type and dose.

The best resource for information regarding psychotropic medication (and its side effects) is your doctor and other medical professionals. Seek consultation from your doctor prior to taking any medication so they can rule out other possible health conditions that might affect your tolerance towards certain medications. Your doctor can provide you with the appropriate knowledge and referrals for other medical professionals that can assist you in this process, such as a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioners as they also prescribe psychotropic medication. Talking with your doctor is a good first place to start as they can educate you on your options and who can help. Before taking psychotropic medications consider your unique circumstances and treatment options. Doing your own research is helpful before going to speak with a medical professional so you can arm yourself with the appropriate questions. It is also important to consider your goals, the symptoms you would like to treat, and length of treatment that is required. After determining that medication is the best approach its important to maintain your treatment plan and take your medication as prescribed. Inform your mental health practitioner and anyone else who is a part of your treatment team, such as your psychotherapist, of any side effects that you are experiencing. Finding the correct medication is a process and it can take up to several weeks or even months to find the correct type for you. Once you have found the correct medication, maintain and manage your medication based on your doctor’s recommendations.

Contact Dr. Parisi for low cost therapy in Chicago, Mt. Prospect, and surrounding areas including Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Barrington, Hinsdale, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Park Ridge, Evanston, and Wilmette.

How Does Psychological Trauma Affect People?

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

Psychological trauma is damage that occurs to a person’s psyche as the result of a traumatic event.  A traumatic event can be a single experience or one that consists of repeated events that overwhelm someone beyond his or her means of coping. However, the actual effects of the trauma may be delayed for years before a person actually experiences the symptoms.

Psychological Trauma may be the result of exposure to natural disasters, war, abuse, rape, assault, death, or any situation which is beyond the scope of normal, everyday experience.

In many cases, psychological trauma occurs when there is some sort of physical trauma involved.  But, it is important to understand that people perceive and experience things differently.  Not all people who experience trauma cope the same way, and, so, it is important to know the symptoms of abnormal coping so that proper help can be sought.

The symptoms of psychological trauma may include:

• A person may re-experience the trauma through flashbacks.

• Intense feelings of anger may come about.

• A person may experience blockages in their memory surrounding the event.

• A person may feel emotionally exhausted.

• A feeling of permanent damage may come about.  A person may feel that they are damaged beyond repair.

• Dissociating from painful emotion by numbing of all emotion.

• A person may experience insomnia.

These are some of the symptoms that an individual may experience when exposed to trauma.  Since people cope with trauma differently, they may experience these symptoms or other symptoms such as mood swings and depression.

It is important to seek out a licensed mental health professional to work through emotional problems resulting from traumatic exposure.  Psychotherapy can be extremely helpful in helping individuals work through the pain associated with traumatic exposure; sometimes, prescribed medications can assist the healing process.  Often times, a combination approach produces the most lasting, effective results.