COMMON MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATIONS

Contact us today to begin psychiatry and medication management in Tennessee.

Common Mental Health Medications

The most commonly prescribed medications for mental illness as of 2020 include the following:

• Sertraline (Zoloft)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)
• Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
• Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall)
• Trazodone
• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Alprazolam (Xanax)
• Methylphenidate (Concerta)
• Venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Clonazepam (Klonopin)
• Buspirone (Buspar)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
• Paroxetine (Paxil)
• Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
• Aripiprazole (Abilify)
• Mirtazapine (Remeron)
• Diazepam (Valium)

Recommended:

• Pristiq For Anxiety
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• 8 Signs Your Wellbutrin Is Working

Understanding Mental Illness

Mental illnesses can strike people from all backgrounds at different times in their lives. Some can be cured, while others are chronic and will need lifelong management.

The most common types of mental health disorders include:

• Mood Disorders
• Behavioral Disorders
• ADHD
• Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Anxiety Disorders
• Panic Disorder
• Phobias
• Thought Disorders
• Schizoaffective Disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Trauma Disorders
• Acute Stress Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Personality Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Self-Harm
• Complicated Grief

Attending different types of therapy modalities helps many people develop an understanding of their mental illness and the power they have to manage it. Some people attend residential programs that provide a safe place for them to live while getting round-the-clock care. Others find that outpatient programs work well or as a solid follow-up to residential care. 

Besides therapy, people have the option of using prescription medications that help minimize or stop many of their symptoms. These FDA-approved medications can be used either on a short-term or long-term basis. Because so many people have mental health disorders, a wealth of common mental health medications are available to help people.

Types of Mental Health Medication

Several common mental health medications are available on a prescription basis. The categories include: 

• Anti-anxiety: These drugs help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calmness, and can reduce the number and severity of panic attacks.
• Antidepressants: These are used to treat depression and can also be effective in treating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. SSRIs and SNRIs are the commonly prescribed antidepressants.
• Anti-psychotics: These medications are used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and other conditions that include psychosis as a symptom.
• Mood stabilizers: Often used to help treat bipolar disorder and other types of mood disorders.
• Stimulants: These help people manage their ADHD.

The Importance of Psychiatry in Mental Health

Too often, a person participates in therapy without taking a mental health medication but finds they don’t get the full effects they expected. Conversely, they may take medications while attending a treatment program or therapy, then stop taking them when they graduate from the program.

For example, a person who has an anxiety disorder may put what they learned during therapy into practice but still feel anxious or have panic attacks. The issue may be that they would do better if they discussed common mental health medications with their therapist, another clinician, or their primary care physician.

The medication they use may slow down their rapid thoughts and give them a feeling of calmness. This provides a more even playing field with their thoughts and emotions, which allows them to make more progress with their therapy, or if they continue the medication after stopping therapy.

Our Locations

Our centralized location makes it easy for people from several areas to travel to our facility and get the complex treatment they need.

The areas we serve include: 

• Athens
• Brentwood
• Chattanooga
• Cookeville
• Decatur
• Franklin
• Huntsville
• Knoxville
• Murfreesboro
• Nashville
• Taft

We offer residential inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs, and outpatient programs. As well, we partner with local supportive mental health housing to provide a safe and supportive place for people enrolled in our outpatient programs to live.