Mental health articles

Cautions when using medicines for mental illness

• Many medicines interact with alcohol. In particular, medicines that cause sedation will worsen the drowsiness felt after drinking alcohol.

• The doses given in the tables are for adults. Use a third to a half of these doses for people over the age of 60 and for children aged under 16 years.

• Many psychiatric medicines produce drowsiness, weight gain and sexual problems. Be aware of these. Advise people taking them to diet and exercise regularly to control weight gain.

Drowsiness is often temporary and goes away as medication continues.

• Avoid the following drugs during pregnancy: lithium, carbamazepine, valproate, clonazepam and other anti-anxiety medicines, older antidepressants and all antipsychotic medicines.

• There are a few other medicines that may be used for mental disorders that are not included in the tables. These include medicines such as methylphenidate for children with hyperactivity, disulfiram for alcohol dependence, vigabatrin for epilepsy, and methadone for heroin dependence.

These medicines must not be started (and preferably not even be monitored) by general physicians or community health workers. They should be used, as far as possible, only by specialists.

Tags: Illness, medicines, mental, mental illness