What is the difference between Mood Stabilizers and Anti-depressants?

These are known to be classes of medications that will be used to treat depression. Antidepressant medications are very effective for lifting up people’s moods, especially when they are undergoing a depressive episode.

Mood−stabilizing medications, on the other hand, are known to be effective in regulating people’s moods. The main goal of mood stabilizers is to ensure that their moods will not be too high or too low. When people have moods that are too high, they may come into a manic mood, while when the mood becomes too low, the person may go into depression.

Mood stabilizers are normally used for people who are undergoing anxiety. Anti−depressants are known to be effective for those who are suffering from depression.

Many people who suffer from bipolar and depression take either mood stabilizers or antidepressants, and quite often, both mood stabilizers such as lithium help to balance out the manic and depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder. It also helps to prevent recurrence and exacerbating symptoms, which is a perfect thing for those who have this condition.

Mood stabilizers act by decreasing neuronal activity to control overactive cellular mechanisms that cause both the mania and the depression. Antidepressants, on the other hand, treat depressive disorders. These medications typically work on serotonin, and it has been shown that people who are clinically depressed are lacking in serotonin.

There are also newer antidepressants that work on both serotonin and norepinephrine to give the depressed person an energy boost, as people who have depression accompanied by fatigue or lack of motivation. Medications like Wellbutrin and Cymbalta have this advantage to them. It is essential to note that anyone who has manic depression, and is currently taking a mood stabilizer, needs to be extremely careful with these types of antidepressants.