Anyone can develop a mental health problem—you, a family member, a friend, or a neighbor down the street. Some conditions are mild, while others are serious and can be long-lasting. These conditions can be helped. In some cases, treatment plans combine therapy and medication. A good example would be someone who is too depressed to talk and so can’t receive much benefit from therapy. With the right medication, their symptoms can be relieved sufficiently enough to allow them to respond better to therapy and to then be well on their way to recovery.

Like any medication, psychotherapeutic medications do not produce the same effect in everyone. Some people may respond better to one medication than another. Some may need larger dosages than others do. Some people experience annoying side-effects, while others may not. Age, sex, body size, body chemistry, physical illnesses and their treatments, diet and lifestyle habits are some of the factors that can influence a medication’s effect.

Click on the links below to find information on psychotherapeutic medications, including the conditions they’re prescribed to treat, how they work, any necessary precautions you should be aware of, and possible side-effects to look out for:

Additional Medication Information