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A member asked:
Can a mood stabilizer like depakote or lithium for bipolar disorder works only for the manic episodes?
12 doctors weighed in across 3 answers
Yes: In fact, we have far better treatments for mania than we do the depressed side of this illness. We are all hoping that better treatments for bipolar depression will be found.
Answered 4/29/2014
4.9k views
Generally, 'No'...: So-called 'mood stabilizers' work on both depression and mania, tending to confine a person's mood swings to a narrower 'band-width', if you will. Lithium by far has the best record when it comes to preventing bipolar type- i mania. I have also found it very helpful in mood stabilizing effects on people after traumatic brain injury as well as some congenital disorders such as down syndrome.
Answered 3/13/2016
4.9k views
Treatment response: Depakote has best evidence for treatment of acute manic or mixed manic episodes lithium has best evidence for manic episodes, preventing recurrent mood episodes, relieving depressive episodes and reducing suicide risk in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Answered 12/22/2014
4.1k views
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