antipsychotics vs mood stabilizers | ADHD Information

Does anyone know the main differences between antipsychotic and mood stabilzers ?  We went to a neurologist who suggested a drug which was a mood stabilizer then we went to a child psychologist who suggested a drug which was a antipsychotic.  I was just hoping for a drug that lessens aggression.  I feel they both got the wrong impression of my son and picked the wrong drug. 

Karen, what is your child's diagnosis?  What behaviors are you seeing that concern you? 

I have two children who take the mood stabilizer Depakote for bipolar disorder.  It has stopped their agression and nightly raging.  Mood stabilizers even out mood swings.  Atypical antipsychotics ease irritability, agitation and aggression, generally in the short term alone or over the long haul in combination with a mood stabilizer. 

What makes you think the doctors chose the wrong meds?

   

 

HI,

Jeffrey's DX so far is ADHD and ODD.  I think he may be bipolar also.  He can rage and be very aggressive.  He also seems to have a lack of empathy for other kids which worries me the most.  He was at cub scouts and got into a fight with a boy who started crying and wasn't even trying to defend himself or fight back and yet my son just kept hitting him.  My husband said he felt like if no one stoped him he would have hit this kid 100 times.