A Guide For Families, Friends, Board And Care Homes, Caregivers And Patients P rescription medications are helpful in reducing symptoms in people suffering with a mental illness. As with any medication, there are precautions to be taken, and careful monitoring is needed to reduce any risk and maximize the benefits of medications. It is important for you and others to be familiar with how these medications are used.
Some mental illnesses are due to chemical imbalances in the brain.
These chemicals are neurotransmitters. They are the messengers within the brain which enable communication between different areas of the brain and the body. When there are disturbances in the functioning of these neurotransmitters, the communication system in the brain can be disrupted. Medications can correct the imbalance of these chemicals in the brain and restore healthy neurotransmitter communication. Medications can reduce the symptoms of an acute attack and prevent recurring illness.