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Written by the OrganizedWisdom Team with as the reviewer. All original content is supervised by the The OrganizedWisdom Medical Review Team

« Frequently Asked Questions

Bipolar Treatment: Antipsychotic Concerns

I'm not psychotic, why does my doctor want to give me an "antipsychotic" medication?

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Answered by:

Tanveer Padder, M.D.

Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations or delusions are fairly common in mania. These symptoms may occur during acute mania or severe depression. Thus antipsychotic medications are used for the treatment of psychotic symptoms as well as for insomnia, anxiety, and agitation. Some of the newer antipsychotics seem to help stabilize moods on their own. As a result, they may be used alone as long-term treatment for people who don't tolerate or respond to traditional mood stabilizers like lithium and anticonvulsants.


New generation, or atypical, antipsychotic medications that were initially developed for the treatment of psychosis in general, and schizophrenia in particular, are being increasingly used in the treatment of bipolar disease. These medications may have efficacy beyond being simply anti-manic agents, but may have utility as true mood stabilizers; they may actually help prevent mood fluctuations that interfere with social and occupational functioning. Recent studies have also found that these medications also have antidepressant effects. They act quickly and can help you avoid the reckless and impulsive behaviors associated with mania.


What makes new generation antipsychotic medications so potentially important in the treatment of bipolar disease is that they may have all three effects desired for a bipolar patient: antipsychotic, mood stabilizing and depression relief. It is also important to note that, for the most part, these medications are extremely safe and well tolerated.

Dr. Padder is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is currently medical director of two mental health clinics in Columbia, Maryland, and a consulting psychiatrist at Howard County General Hopsital, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Write to Dr. Padder at tanveerpadder@gmail.com.

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