Lamictal
Along with schizophrenia, probably the most misunderstood of all the psychiatric disorders is bipolar disorder. Thanks in large part to a multitude of criminals (falsely) claiming to suffer from the disorder, public understanding of the condition will not come any time soon. In the meantime, those who have bipolar disorder must wait out the hostile times by taking various medications to keep the condition at a manageable level and not a disabling level.
To treat bipolar disorder, a patient must be prescribed anti-depressants and mood stabilizers. The number of anti-depressants was always fairly comprehensive, but lithium was primarily the only mood stabilizer that was prescribed. In the last decade, this has all changed and many mood stabilizers are prescribed. One of the most prevalent mood stabilizers is lamictal.
Originally designed as an epilepsy drug, lamictal is now prescribed so as to act as a calming agent to counteract the mood swings of bipolar disorder. Mood swings can be very difficult to endure both for the person struggling with the problem and for those family members who must live with someone suffering from mood swings. Lamictal acts as a stabilizer so as to end the swinging from one emotional pole to another, the defining characteristic of bipolar disorder.
How does one know if lamictal is the right drug to take? It is difficult to say as psychiatric drugs, many times, require a great deal of experimentation until the right combination of drugs is reached. Psychiatric illnesses generally react unpredictably to drug treatment so there needs to be patience when trying to find a proper mood stabilizer whether it be lamictal or a different prescription.
Lamictal is not, however, a crapshoot in terms of whether or not it works. It has a significant track record of success and, as such, remains a viable option for those looking to reap its benefits.
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
