Medication:

The most common type of treatment available is psychiatric medication. These drugs don't cure mental health problems, but they can ease many symptoms. The types of medication offered can vary depending on a persons diagnosis, but can include:

Antidepressants - These are mostly prescribed for people experiencing depression.

Possible side effects can include: lack of concentration, headaches, nausea, sexual problems, tooth or oral problems, diabetes

Antipsychotics - These can be prescribed to people with signs pf psychosis, schizophrenia, severe anxiety or bi polar.

Possible side effects can include: blurred vision, confusion, agitation, constipation, difficulty urinating, hallucinations, low blood pressure

Sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers - These can be used for people experiencing severe sleep problems or for people with severe anxiety to help calm them

Mood stabilisers - These can be used to help stabilise mood for people suffering from severe mood swings

Possible side effects can include: drowsiness, confusion, light headedness, unsteadiness, dizziness, slurred speech, memory problems, nausea, constipation

Watch the below video around the use of medication

As well as the possible benefits, every psychiatric drug may cause unwanted side effects. These side effects can happen with short-term or long-term use.

What side effects might be experienced?

The side effects someone may experience depends on which medication is taken and how an individual reacts to it. Some people get certain side effects while others don't. If someone does get side effects, they could be mild or severe. There is no way to know how someone will react before they start taking the medication.

If someone experiences side effects, it is worth thinking about whether the benefits of taking the drug outweighs any negative effects. This is something that can be discussed with a GP or pharmacist.

What to do if there are side effects?

If you feel seriously unwell

Get medical advice immediately.
Contact your GP or pharmacist right away, or call 999 for an ambulance.
Do not drive or operate machinery. This includes driving to seek medical help.

If you feel moderately unwell or very worried

Get medical advice within 12 hours.
Contact NHS 111 or see your GP or pharmacist.

If you feel mildly unwell or uncomfortable

Get medical advice in the next few days.
Contact NHS 111 or see your GP or pharmacist. Or contact your nurse prescriber or care coordinator, if you have one.
If you have only just started taking the medication, it may help to wait a few days to see if the side effects wear off. But if you are concerned, you can still speak to your GP or pharmacist or call NHS 111 for advice.

How likely am I to get side effects?

The likelihood of experiencing different side effects varies for each drug. The risk of experiencing a side effect is described in most PILs for specific drugs. Which usually looks like this:

Very common (affects more than 1 person in 10).
Common (affects between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people).
Uncommon (affects between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 people).
Rare (affects between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 10,000 people).
Very rare (affects fewer than 1 in 10,000 people).
Not known (we do not know how many people are affected).

In other words, if the risk is described as very rare (fewer than 1 in 10,000), that means 9,999 people out of 10,000 probably won't experience that side effect. This data is available for all newer drugs, but not for some older drugs.

Can I report any side effects I experience?

If someone experiences any side effects, these can be reported via the Yellow Card scheme. This scheme collects information about the side effects of different drugs. It is a voluntary scheme and you do not have to report side affects if you have any.