We partnered with Choice and Medication to create fact sheets to help consumers, their family and carers understand their medicines and make informed decisions.
Your medication decisions should be made as part of a discussion with a healthcare professional.
Types of mental health medication
There are many different types of medications in use and it can be confusing to keep track of them all, including any side effects that they may cause.
Basically, there are four main types of medication.
Some medications:
- Treat depression or low mood
- Stabilise your mood
- Treat anxiety
- Treat psychosis or altered thought patterns
Finding the right medication for you
The response to medication can vary from person to person. What is helpful to one person might not help another. Finding the right medication and dosage for your needs can take some time. It is important that you are fully informed of your options and what to expect from each medication.
Use this resource page and work with your treating team so you can understand:
- What results to expect from your medication
- How long it will take to experience a difference
- How to take your medication effectively
- How to keep track of what medications works for you (a medication diary can be useful)
- What to do if the medication doesn’t work as expected
- What to do if you experience any unpleasant or unbearable side effects
We encourage all consumers, carers and families to be engaged with their treating teams.
Consumers can write Recovery and Wellness plans and Advance Statements to let the treating team know what has worked or not worked for them. Carers and families can also receive information from the treating team via family meetings.