The National Institute of Mental Health notes that psychiatric medications are important in the treatment of symptoms of mental diseases such as depression; bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive illness; anxiety disorders; schizophrenia; and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. In some cases medications may be used in addition to other treatments, such as psychotherapy to treat psychiatric illness. Psychiatric medications are controversial because they treat disorders that, in some cases, are not well understood. Additionally, some psychiatric drugs can become habit forming, and like other drugs, they can cause a range of mild to potentially serious side effects.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is a common side effect of several psychiatric medications, including tricyclic antidepressants such as nortriptyline, or Pamelor, as listed by the website Psych Central. Another type of mental health medication called heterocyclics also causes weight gain as an unwanted side effect. Popularly prescribed heterocyclic drugs include fluoxetine, which is sold under the well-known brand name Prozac; sertraline, which is sold under the brand name Zoloft; and paroxetine, which is sold as Paxil.
Systemic Effects
Psychiatric medications also cause common systemic side effects that affect the entire body and general well-being. Psychiatrist Dr. Darvin Hege, of Atlanta, lists several of these common side effects on the website Evening Psychiatrist. Systemic side effects such as fatigue, tiredness and drowsiness can be caused by psychiatric medications such as lithium; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SRRIs; benzodiazepines; and heterocyclics. Restlessness, nervousness and irritability are common side effects that can be caused by psychiatric drugs such as buspirone, sold as Buspar; tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine, sold as Tofranil; and bupropion, or Wellbutrin.
Sexual Effects
The mental health website HealthyPlace.com warns that a number of psychiatric medications can cause side effects that relate to sexual health and function in both men and women. This includes impotence, loss of libido and loss of interest in sexual relations. SSRIs, a family of psychiatric drugs that are commonly used to treat depressive and anxiety disorders, can cause the side effect of sexual dysfunction. These medications include fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine. Other types of psychiatric medications, such as benzodiazepines and the drug venlafaxine, or Effexor, also cause these sexual problems.
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