Mental Health Awareness & Understanding The Basics of Psychotropic Medications

Mental Health Awareness

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but that doesn’t mean the conversations should stop as the calendar flips to June or any other month. From certain perspectives, it may seem as though mental health is being discussed more and usually in a less stigmatizing way. Yet, there is always room for growth and space to learn in our awareness of mental health with how it can affect us personally, our family members, friends, neighbors, or complete strangers. Within this blog, we will cover the basics of mental health awareness with statistics, some available local support groups, treatment options, and the basics of psychotropic medications.

Michigan Mental Health Statistics

According to data from NAMI Michigan, Part of The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1,469,000 adults in Michigan have a mental health condition. That’s more than nine times the population of the entire county of Jackson County, Michigan reported in the 2019 Census. Statistics show 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6 - 17 experience a mental health disorder each year. In Michigan, 119,000 Michiganders aged 12 to 17 have depression. If this is you, and/or someone you know and love, you’re not alone and neither is your loved one.

Mental Health IS Health and it is essential to recognize, accept, and move forward with that fact. 1 in 7 homeless individuals, 7 in 10 youths in the juvenile justice system, and  2 in 5 adults in jail and prison have a mental health condition. Like any health condition, mental health can be deadly and on average 1 person in the U.S. dies by suicide every 11 minutes. Within Michigan, 1,548 lives were lost to suicide, and 319,000 reported thoughts of suicide in the last year. All of this information and more can be found on NAMI Michigan’s State Fact Sheet.

Local Jackson County Mental Health Support Groups

What can we do about all of these mental health demographic numbers that could include you, your mom, best friend, or neighbor? First, we can talk about it with one another openly and honestly. Second, we can look for resources and treatment options. There are countless support groups out there. NAMI is home to some great free ones. There are other support groups locally in Jackson County like the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, Brighter Days Peer Support Group (A Depression Group), Jackson Area Mentally Ill Support Group, Domestic Violence Group, Grief Support Groups, Substance Support Groups, Al-Anon Support Groups, and many more can be found by following this link: https://lifewayscmh.org/Prevention-Wellness/Support-Groups.

Professional Mental Health Treatment

Professional treatment can become tricker, and insurance can give us a hard time when it comes to “regular'' health matters. Those same insurances can become even messier, and sometimes offer less coverage, when mental health gets put into the mix. Taking those first steps in getting any kind of treatment for a mental health condition is often very difficult. Reaching out for help by asking your primary care doctor if they have any referrals, or even looking for online therapy options can make those first steps easier. There are many different types of mental health professionals and treatments to choose from. The “right fit” will be dependent from person to person and can even vary among those with the same or similar symptomatology and diagnosis(es) (Source: PyschGuides).

Psychotropic Medications For Mental Health Treatment

Treatment can also include psychotropic medications, which is simply a fancy word for any mental health prescription medication. These medications include typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, anti-anxiety agents, stimulants, mood stabilizers, and four different types of antidepressants. Pharmacists can be a powerful partner with your prescribing doctor with any of these medications and especially with locally-owned pharmacies like Grass Lake Community Pharmacy, because not only do we know our patients but we are always happy to sit down to talk with them about their medication regimen.

• Typical Antipsychotics

Typical antipsychotic medications are sometimes referred to as 1st-generation antipsychotic medications and they are used to treat symptoms of psychosis which can appear with schizophrenia, some manic episodes of bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, depression with psychotic features, and many others. Ultimately psychosis is defined as a break from reality which can come in the form of delusions and hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that others cannot). The delusions and hallucinations that occur in psychosis are often the result of there being too much dopamine in the brain’s synapses. Typical antipsychotics block dopamine in the brain which helps to stop, or lessen, the psychosis.

• Atypical Antipsychotics

These are the 2nd-generation antipsychotic medications that are also used to treat psychosis. They work a little differently than the 1st-generation in that they only block the dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activity. It is important to note here that these two types of antipsychotics are not necessarily better or worse than the other but they are different in how they work and the side effects that come with them. If you have questions make sure to ask your prescribing doctor and also your pharmacist when you’re picking up your medication.

• Anti-Anxiety Agents (Anxiolytics)

Anti-Anxiety medications are typically used to treat different types of anxiety disorders. The most known medications in this class are benzodiazepines {Brand & Generic Benzodiazepines Examples: Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan(lorazepam)}. Benzodiazepines work quickly by increasing GABA levels in the brain. The increased GABA levels lower anxiety because GABA creates a relaxing and calming effect, however, these medications can be habit-forming and are not recommended for those with a history of substance use.
Buspar (buspirone), is an anti-anxiety agent that is not related to the benzodiazepines listed above and is not habit-forming.
Other medications have shown some off-label efficacy in treating anxiety such as heart medications (beta-blockers) like Inderal (propranolol). Beta-blockers can treat psychosomatic anxiety symptoms such as slowing one's heart rate down, reducing sweating, or decreasing trembling. Antihistamines, like Vistaril (hydroxyzine), have also been used as an alternative to benzodiazepines in treating anxiety.

• Stimulant Medications

  Stimulants are used for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These medications generally increase dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Similar to benzodiazepines, the body can develop a dependence on this medication if it is used long term, but especially when it is NOT used as prescribed. Stimulants help ADHD symptoms by increasing alertness, attention, energy, and those with ADHD often report having a calming focused effect when they’re taking their prescription.

There are non-stimulant treatment options for ADHD as well such as Strattera (atomoxetine), Kapvay (clonidine), and Intuniv (guanfacine). If there are any questions be sure to ask the prescribing doctor and the local pharmacist. 

• Mood Stabilizers

Mood stabilizers are used in the treatment of depression and other mood disorders, namely bipolar disorder. They can help by decreasing abnormal brain activity which significantly prevents major highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression) that bipolar disorder can bring. (nimh.nih.gov)

• Antidepressants

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Antidepressants

  SSRIs are mainly used to treat different types of depression, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Usually, these medications are the first choice of treatment for many types of depression and they work by increasing the amount of serotonin within your brain by blocking that neurotransmitter from being docked on a receiving cell in your brain.

• Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) Antidepressants

  SNRIs are similar to SSRIs but instead, they increase both serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain to improve symptoms. These neurotransmitters are also very helpful in fighting off depression or other distressful symptomatology. 

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) Antidepressants

  MAOIs are older antidepressants and are not used very often today, however, they increase dopamine, norepinephrine, AND serotonin levels in the brain.

• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

  TCAs are an even older class of antidepressants and are typically reserved for when newer medications and treatments haven’t proven effective. These antidepressants increase serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain and can be very effective for some people. This class of medication often has more side effects than some of the newer medications.

Learn More About Psychotropic Medications on The National Institute of Mental Health’s Website, NAMI’s Website, and Healthline’s Website.

There is a lot to medications, and for anyone that has ever taken a prescription the potential of side effects, it usually comes with may seem daunting and long. The side effects for the above psychotropic medications can also seem that way, and the possible side effects listed above do not include all of the side effects one may encounter. It is essential to note here that the potential for a side effect does not mean the medication is not worth trying if it was prescribed by a doctor. Make sure to ask questions and talk to your pharmacist about the possibility of side effects for these specific medications. Mental health conditions that are getting in the way of day-to-day life are important and should be addressed with healthcare providers. Continue to advocate for yourself with providers and prescribing doctors. The local pharmacist is usually more easily accessible than your provider, give them a call or ask to speak with the pharmacist the next time you’re picking up your prescription medications. Pharmacists know medications and will be happy to sit down to discuss those that are currently prescribed and even help patients with how they can ask the right questions during a follow-up visit with a provider/prescribing doctor

Mental health is a journey and mental illnesses all too often trick the one suffering that they are all alone. However, that journey in navigating the waters of maintaining a mentally healthy life is not one that needs to be done alone. Consider the local groups in Jackson County, Michigan (many of which are free), the wide variety of mental health professionals, treatment programs, and the different types of psychotropic medications that are available if deemed necessary by a prescribing doctor. Being mentally healthy while also having a mental illness can sometimes seem like a constant balancing act, but it’s okay to fall. Despite the lies of mental illness telling individuals that they are alone, those that reach out to these resources have a support network to catch them and reorient them.

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Authors: Megan C, Marketing Coordinator at Grass Lake Community Pharmacy & Volunteer with NAMI WC & Bridget Stoyk, PharmD, Pharmacy Manager at Grass Lake Community Pharmacy

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