In this episode of Dr. Brown’s Psych Commute, I opine on a question that bears a lot of disagreement: do antidepressants actually work in bipolar depression, or are they useless or even dangerous?
I walk through the two main camps you’ll hear in psychiatry:
* Those who argue antidepressants don’t work at all in bipolar depression and only increase the risk of mania, mixed states, and rapid cycling.
* Those who believe antidepressants can be useful when paired with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic, but should never be used as monotherapy in known bipolar disorder.
I discuss an interesting case that has shaped my opinion on the matter.
Let me know what you think, email me at brandon@brandonbrownmd.com
