Antipsychotic medications
In most cases, antipsychotic drugs are used to treat schizophrenia. They can also be used to manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder, especially when you experience episodes of psychosis during extreme mania or depression.
Your health care provider may prescribe an antipsychotic medication “off-label” to help control the disorder. It is “off-label” because it has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Some antipsychotic medications have been approved by the FDA to treat bipolar disorder. They include:
- Aripiprazole (Abilify)
- Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
- Ziprasidone (Geodon)
- Quetiapine (Seroquel)
- Asenapine (Saphris)
- Risperidone (Risperdal)
You may experience the following side effects if you use antipsychotic drugs:
- Drowsiness and sedation
- Dry mouth
- Shaking
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Constipation[1]
- Low blood pressure[2]
- Restlessness
- Increased saliva[3]
- Reduced libido or sexual dysfunction
Asenapine may result in a strange feeling in the mouth and numbness of the mouth. Ziprasidone can also lead to heart conditions.