Mood stabilisers are a form of medication that is only given by licensed professionals and this is a psychiatric drug that comes under various names Carbamazepine, Divalproex sodium, Lithonate and many, many others. Their main goal is to ‘tone down’ the level of emotions you feel, so stopping you from being too happy (mania) or too depressed. Some people take them every day long term while others will only have them for a set number of weeks, it all depends on a professional diagnoses of your symptoms. Let us find out a little more about mood stabilisers and what they can do for you…
What Are Mood Stabilisers?
In short, they are tablets designed to help you control your emotional instability AKA extreme mood swings. They go under many different names and brands, but they are all designed to do the same thing and you will often be prescribed more than one of them, especially at the beginning stages of this form of treatment. Sometimes a doctor or a psychiatrist will have to try you on several of them before they find one that works for you, but they do now always work and some can have bad side effects.
Do Mood Stabilisers Work?
When it comes to those of us with BPD it is more a matter of trial and error with mood stabilisers as to whether or not they work. You will often find you will be given this form of medication while going through some form of therapy course, but more and more people are telling me they are given this form of medication and nothing else is on offer. In truth sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t and sometimes they will even make things worse. But they are essentially worth trying if you are having troubles controlling your thoughts and emotions.
How Can I Get Mood Stabilisers Here in the UK?
While most people will get them prescribed from a member of their mental-health team you can also get a doctor to prescribe them, but this can be troublesome in certain parts of the UK. While for most of us here in the UK they will be free there are some parts where you will have to pay for them if you are in full-time employment. It is illegal for a company to sell you these online or over a counter so do be wary of mood stabilisers sold online (having said that some herbal Mood Stabilisers are OK and can be sold online safely).
As with any of these BPD treatments before you might need to try a combination of them before you find that winning combination, but do stick with it. If you want any help or advice relating to BPD do drop me an email via the contact us page and one of our writers will answer it ASAP.
