These drugs are commonly used for the treatment of schizophrenia. See Treatment of schizophrenia . Antidepressants may be given to improve depression in bipolar illness. But doctors find that antidepressants alone are often not enough to treat it effectively. For more information, see Treatment of depression .
Bipolar illness has different forms and everyone responds to treatment differently.
There are many different drugs available - if one doesn't work for you, there may be another one that does. You may need to try a couple of medications before you find one that suits you. They can advise you on the implications of continuing or stopping your medication, and may be able to find a drug that suits you better. Drugs for bipolar illness can take up to 3 months to work. If you do not feel any better after 3 months, ask your GP or your psychiatrist if you can try another medication.