Some reports suggest that gabapentin can exacerbate mood issues and has been linked to depressive symptoms, highlighting a complex relationship between the medication and mental health. What we do know is that gabapentin, while primarily prescribed for physical conditions, has the potential to influence our mood and emotions. For some, this influence is positive, bringing a sense of calm or lifting depressive symptoms. Rare, but potentially serious side effects of gabapentin include: Depression. Mood changes in children, such as aggressive behavior. Memory problems. Severe skin rash. Anaphylaxis. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Severe withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures, if stopped abruptly Gabapentin is a nerve pain medication and anticonvulsant that has proven to be effective for people who have hard-to-treat depression or other mood disorders. regarding poor response to standard mood stabilizers be-fore gabapentin use, evidence regarding whether during gabapentin treatment mania or hypomania occurred, ad-verse events, maximum and maintenance gabapentin dose and duration of treatment, indications for treatment with gabapentin, whether or not gabapentin was discon- Although gabapentin was traditionally used to treat seizures, it is now sometimes used as a mood stabilizer for depression and bipolar disorder because it calms neurons in the brain, and it may be effective for anxiety too. Gabapentin can come in a capsule, tablet, or oral solution, but you’ll likely be prescribed capsules to help with anxiety. It is usually taken with a full glass of water, with or without food. Antacids should not be taken within two hours before or after using gabapentin. After receiving gabapentin 600–3,600 mg/d for 10 weeks, mood scale scores were no different between treatment groups. 19 In a double-blind, randomized, crossover series (N = 31), 20 patients with refractory bipolar and unipolar mood disorder received three 6-week monotherapy treatments of lamotrigine, gabapentin, or placebo. Case series suggest benefit of adjunctive gabapentin for mood symptoms in bipolar disorder, though the existing randomized controlled trials do not support this finding. Gabapentin’s role in acute mania is equivocal, and limited data exist on its use as prophylaxis in bipolar disorder. Explore gabapentin's psychological side effects, learn to recognize symptoms, and discover management strategies for improved mental well-being during treatment. cording to DSM-IV (292.84)25 as gabapentin-induced mood disorder with mild manic features and onset dur-ing medication. The gabapentin-induced behavioural changes in children and the mood changes with hypomanic fea-tures in adults are both characterized by excessive activity and impulsive behaviour. The behavioural The most common gabapentin (Neurontin) side effects are dizziness and drowsiness. This may affect your ability to drive or perform other activities. Other gabapentin side effects include edema (fluid buildup), weight gain, and eye problems, but these aren’t as common. Rare but serious gabapentin side effects include mood changes in children. Lithium and gabapentin. Gabapentin is currently being studied as a treatment for bipolar disorder, and there have been favorable reports regarding its potential as a mood stabilizer (82, 83). The advantages of gabapentin include the lack of interactions with other drugs in the cytochrome P450 system and the lack of protein binding . Since there But gabapentin’s potential doesn’t stop at anxiety. It’s also making waves in the treatment of mood disorders. While it’s not typically a first-line treatment for depression, some patients with bipolar disorder have found relief from mood swings when gabapentin is added to their treatment regimen. Gabapentin is a new adjunctive medication to antiseizure therapies. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it may also help to alleviate mood symptoms in patients with bipolar illness. An open-label study examined the effects of adjunctive gabapentin in bipolar patients with mixed symptoms who had previou Gabapentin, one of the antiepileptics, shows its effects via voltage-gated calcium channels. Sedation and mood elevation are among its side effects. The positive effects of antiepileptics such as valproate and carbamazepine as mood stabilizers have raised the hope that other antiepileptics may as we Gabapentin (Trade name: Neurontin) is an anticonvulsant.It is commonly also used off-label for anxiety disorders, restless leg syndrome, and in alcohol use disorder.It is structurally similar to GABA but does not directly bind to GABA receptors. American Psychological Association: Gabapentin has been “largely discredited as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder.” Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance : Gabapentin “was used frequently for treatment of bipolar disorder, but controlled studies found it was no more effective than a placebo.” Gabapentin is used to treat seizures, nerve pain, and the symptoms of restless legs syndrome. If gabapentin works for you, you may feel relief from these symptoms. Some people may also feel more anxious, irritable, depressed, angry, excited, or reckless when they first start gabapentin. Evidence supports gabapentin as a treatment for alcohol withdrawal and alcohol use disorder. There is sufficient evidence to consider gabapentin as a third-line treatment for social anxiety disorder and severe panic disorder.
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