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Mood stabilizers

People with bipolar disorder usually try mood stabilizers first.
Lithium is a very effective mood stabilizer
Anticonvulsant medications also are used as mood stabilizers.

Most commonly used as a mood stabilizer
– divalproex sodium (Depakote).

Atypical antipsychotics

Antipsychotics used to treat people with bipolar disorder include:

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa), which helps people with severe or psychotic depression, which often is accompanied by a break with reality, hallucinations, or delusions7
• Aripiprazole (Abilify), which can be taken as a pill or as a shot
• Risperidone (Risperdal)
• Ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Clozapine (Clorazil), which is often used for people who do not respond to lithium or anticonvulsants.