Why is lithium controversial?

Since its introduction, the prescription of lithium has grown increasingly controversial due to reports of poisoning, memory loss, and the drug having a “lobotomizing effect” on patients.

Why is lithium treatment problematic?

If you've been taking lithium for some time, it can cause weight gain. It can also cause problems with your kidneys or thyroid gland. Common signs of an underactive thyroid are tiredness, weight gain and feeling depressed.

Why is lithium no longer prescribed?

In 62% of episodes, lithium was discontinued due to adverse effects, in 44% due to psychiatric reasons, and in 12% due to physical reasons interfering with lithium treatment.

Why is lithium stigmatized?

It is seen by patients, and some psychiatrists, as a dangerous drug. People rightly have suspicions about it. Patients say that the downsides include emotional numbing – feeling that you aren't connected with your feelings – as well as tremors,” said Dr Joseph Hayes, a psychiatrist at University College London.

What are the dangers of lithium?

► Exposure to Lithium can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. ► Lithium can cause headache, muscle weakness, twitching, blurred vision, loss of coordination, tremors, confusion, seizures and coma.

A short history of lithium, and its remarkable impact on mood disorders | Explainer | ABC News

What will lithium do to a normal person?

For some people, lithium can help decrease abnormal activity in the brain, manic episodes and suicidal feelings. Short-term side effects can include shaking, fatigue, headache and gastrointestinal problems, while a long-term side effect can be weight gain.

Does lithium shorten your lifespan?

Lithium May Extend Longevity

In addition to the well-known positive effects on mood,¹⁸ lithium has also been linked with longer overall longevity. Two studies have found that individuals living in areas with even modest, low levels of lithium in the drinking water tend to live longer.

Why are people forced to take lithium?

Descriptions. Lithium is used to treat mania that is part of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). It is also used on a daily basis to reduce the frequency and severity of manic episodes.

Why must psychiatrists be careful when prescribing the drug lithium?

Lithium toxicity can cause cardiac arrhythmias, and must be monitored closely. In addition, the effects of hydration and exercise on the lithium level, especially during summer, often are ignored.

How dirty is lithium mining?

According to a report by Friends of the Earth (FoE), lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and causes air contamination. As demand rises, the mining impacts are “increasingly affecting communities where this harmful extraction takes place, jeopardising their access to water,” says the report.

Is there a safer alternative to lithium?

Sodium-ion batteries are an emerging technology with promising cost, safety, sustainability and performance advantages over commercialised lithium-ion batteries.

Why is lithium not used for bipolar disorder?

In patients with a manic episode and additional depressive symptoms, lithium was found to be less effective than valproate (36). Studies investigating the effectiveness of lithium in the maintenance therapy found it to be less effective in patients with mixed symptoms than in patients with “pure” mania.

Is there an alternative to lithium for bipolar?

The ones that treat bipolar depression are cariprazine (Vraylar), lurasidone (Latuda), olanzapine-fluoxetine combo (Symbyax), and quetiapine (Seroquel). Among them, lurasidone offers a good balance of efficacy and tolerability.

Is lithium a last resort?

Mood Stabilizers should be used as a last resort in “rapid and short mood changes;” They are divided into three main categories; Lithium and most of the anticonvulsant mood stabilizers are contraindicated in pregnancy; All mood stabilizers are not created equal; and.

Who should not use lithium?

Lithium is not recommended in patients with renal impairment. It is also not recommended in patients with cardiovascular disease. Lithium causes reversible T wave changes and can unmask Brugada syndrome. A cardiology consult is necessary if a patient experiences unexplained palpitations and syncope.

What are the two major long term risks of lithium therapy?

Results: Long-term lithium treatment is associated with a reduced urinary concentrating ability, with subsequent polyuria and polidypsia and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (in 10-40% of patients).

What is the gold standard medication for bipolar disorder?

Lithium is considered the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder (BD). Current clinical guidelines and scientific evidence support its use as a first-line treatment in BD.

What should you watch out when taking lithium?

Dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears and excessive production of dilute urine may occur with higher (toxic) lithium levels. Seek urgent medical advice. Lithium may also cause irregular heartbeat, drying and thinning of hair, alopecia, dry mouth, weight gain, itchiness, and other side effects.

Can lithium damage your brain?

Prolonged lithium intoxication >2 mM can cause permanent brain damage. Lithium has low mutagenic and carcinogenic risk.

Why do schizophrenics take lithium?

Lithium stabilises a person's mood and is used as an add‐on treatment with antipsychotics for schizophrenia. Lithium can reduce mania and depression.

Does lithium change your personality?

Substantial affect and mood changes are induced by lithium carbonate. Lethargy, dysphoria, a loss of interest in interacting with others and the environment, and a state of increased mental confusion were reported.

How many bipolar marriages end in divorce?

In the United States and Canada, at least 40 percent of all marriages fail. But the statistics for marriages involving a person who has bipolar disorder are especially sobering—an estimated 90 percent of these end in divorce, according to the article “Managing Bipolar Disorder” in Psychology Today.

Does bipolar turn into schizophrenia?

However, these conditions are distinct from one another, and they do not always co-occur. While bipolar disorder cannot develop into schizophrenia, it's possible to experience symptoms of both. Before you consult a mental health professional, here are a few things you should know about the two conditions.

Is lithium a lifelong drug?

It will probably take several weeks to see big enough changes in your symptoms to decide if lithium is the right medication for you. Mood stabilizer treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with bipolar disorder.

What does being on lithium feel like?

When first starting lithium, many people experience common side effects, such as nausea, shakiness, or greater thirst. Regular blood monitoring is important to make sure you are taking a safe and effective dose of lithium.