Where to start?
Be honest and open when discussing concerns with your doctor. Choosing the right medication and dose should be based on each individual’s needs. Your doctor will choose a medication based on:
- Symptoms you currently have
- Age
- Sex or gender identity
- Allergies or problems you had with medications
- Other health conditions you have
- Other medications you take
- Medications you have tried and how these worked for you
- If anyone in your family is or has been on any medication that has helped symptoms you have
- How regularly you take your medication(s)
- Cost of medications and insurance
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
Resources
- Achtyes E, Simmons A, Skabeev A, Levy N, Jiang Y, Marcy P, et al. Patient preferences concerning the efficacy and side-effect profile of schizophrenia medications: a survey of patients living with schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry. 2018 Dec;18(1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC; 2018 Dec. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-018-1856-y.
- Chen JJ. Treatment of psychotic symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease. Mental Health Clinician. 2017 Nov 1;7(6):262-270. American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP); 2017 Nov 1. DOI: 10.9740/mhc.2017.11.262.
- Lieberman JA. Effectiveness of Antipsychotic Drugs in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007 Feb 15;68(02):e04. Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc; 2007 Feb 15. DOI: 10.4088/jcp.0207e04.
- Spina E, de Leon J. Clinically relevant interactions between newer antidepressants and second-generation antipsychotics. Expert Opin Drug Metabolism & Toxicol. 2014 May;10(5):721-746. Informa UK Limited; 2014 May. DOI: 10.1517/17425255.2014.885504.
- Bandelow B. Long term treatment of anxiety disorders. European Psychiatry. 2007 Mar;22:S73. Cambridge University Press (CUP); 2007 Mar. DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2007.01.282.
- Cipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, Chaimani A, Atkinson LZ, Ogawa Y, et al. Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of 21 Antidepressant Drugs for the Acute Treatment of Adults With Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. FOC. 2026 Apr;24(2):252-262. American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2026 Apr. DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.26024115.
- De Fazio P, Gaetano R, Caroleo M, Pavia M, De Sarro G, Fagiolini A, et al. Lithium in late-life mania: a systematic review. NDT. 2017 Mar;Volume 13:755-766. Informa UK Limited; 2017 Mar. DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s126708.