Adding Mood Stabilizers or Other Drugs to Antidepressants

People who have problems with depression may also experience mood swings — like the ups and downs seen in various forms of bipolar disorder — so a mood stabilizer, such as lithium (Eskalith, Lithane, and others) or valproate (Depakote), may be added to treatment. Even if you don't have a tendency toward mood cycling, these medications can sometimes build on the effects of an antidepressant, improving your response. The antipsychotic medication aripiprazole (Abilify) is also sometimes taken in conjunction with an antidepressant to further lift symptoms of depression. Other antipsychotics are also occasionally used for this purpose.