Here are the top medications used for the treatment of dissociative identity:
1. Antidepressant drugs: These include citalopram, venlafaxine, phenelzine, fluoxetine, and sertraline. These drugs help reduce depression in some dissociative identity disorder patients. Antidepressants must be taken only under expert guidance as some of them have several side effects. Any change in the patient’s behavior due to the effect of medication must be monitored consistently.
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Depressants: Depressants are used to calm down certain dissociative identity disorder patients displaying violent and manic behavior. These drugs temporarily diminish hyperactivity of the brain. They are used to prevent seizures or respiratory disorders that can be associated with a dissociative identity disorder. Examples of depressants include carisoprodol, atropine, benzodiazepines, and cyclobenzaprine.
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Antipsychotic medication: These include chlorpromazine, aripiprazole, Risperdal®, Haldol®, and mellaril. These dissociative identity disorder drugs are used when the patient exhibits psychotic behavior. They work as mood stabilizers as well. Even if the dissociative identity patient is not diagnosed with psychosis, these drugs can be used to tranquilize and stabilize the mood. The drugs should be used strictly under the prescription and guidance of an expert physician.
4. Anxiety medication: These drugs are used for the treatment of dissociative identity patients who display excessive anxiety, or when anxiety is a trigger for dissociative identity disorder behavior. Anxiety can sometimes be an associated condition caused by dissociative identity problems. These medications help reduce anxiety. Xanax®, librium, valium, and ativan are some examples.
5. Stimulants: These are used as dissociative identity disorder drugs when the patient displays severe depression, or in cases where depression is a cause of dissociative identity problems. Stimulants improve the central nervous system's response and make the person alert, wakeful, and active. This medication should only be taken in recommended doses and on a physician’s prescription. In addition, these medications are not suitable for some dissociative identity disorder patients. Examples of stimulant drugs include midafinil, methylphenidate, caffeine, and dextroamphetamine.