• Lithium

    Lithium introduced by psychiatrist J. Cade to treat psychosis. Prior to this time, barbiturates and bromides has been used, but only to quiet and sedate patients, not actually treat symptoms of psychosis. Lithium eventually became widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder in the 1960s.

  • Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)

    Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) was discovered in France for the use in controlling (though not curing) psychosis. This was only the first among a host of antipsychotics that would eventually be used to treat psychosis, especially in the treatment of schizophrenia.

  • Iproniazid (Marsilid)

    Iproniazid (Marsilid), a drug that was being used at the time to treat tuberculosis, was found to have the “side effect” of elevating mood in patients. Appetite increased, sleep improved, and depressed patients became more sociable. The term “antidepressant” was coined at that time.

  • Reserpine

    Reserpine was first used as a tranquilizer, and then to treat psychosis, but its extrapyramidal side effects caused its use to rapidly decline.

  • Imipramine (Tofanil)

    Imipramine (Tofanil) came on the market. While it was first used in patients with depressive psychosis, extended studies that the drug was very effective in patients with depression.

  • Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

    Tranylcypromine (Parnate), a derivative of cyclopropylamine, was first used as an antidepressant, and this class of drugs (MAO inhibitors) soon became the frequently prescribed antidepressants.

  • Amitriptyline (Elavil)

    Amitriptyline (Elavil), another tricyclic antidepressant, showed similar effects to imipramine. A series of tricyclics then followed, including desipramine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, and doxepin, as the field of biological pharmacology was exploding.

  • Sertraline (Zoloft)

    Sertraline (Zoloft) has been approved for a wide variety of depressive and stress related disorders by the FDA, including MDD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), PTSD, panic disorder and social phobias. Off label uses include seasonal affective disorder (SAD), bulimia nervosa, fibromyalgia, bipolar, chronic fatigue, alcohol dependence, and others.

  • Divalproex sodium (Depakote)

    Divalproex sodium (Depakote) was first marketed in the U.S. bus was approved for use in treating manic depression in 1995 when it was used exclusively in the treatment of epilepsy. This was considered a breakthrough in medicine as it was the first medication approved for symptoms of mania in 25 years.

  • Sertraline (Zoloft)

    Bupropion (Wellbutrin) was patented in 1974 but not FDA approved until 1985, 1996, and 2003 (depending upon the formulation). FDA approved indications include MDD, SAD, and smoking cessation, though it is used off label for a variety of conditions, including weight loss, ADHD, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), dysthymic disorder, neuropathic pain, and a variety of others, including compulsive gambling.

  • Fluoxetine (Prozac)

    Fluoxetine (Prozac) was actually developed in 1970, but it wasn’t approved by the FDA for use until 1988, when it became the first blockbuster selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). SSRIs are still the most widely prescribed drugs for the treatment of depression.

  • Venlafaxine (Effexor)

    Venlafaxine (Effexor) was the first compound in a new class of antidepressants called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI).

  • Paroxetine (Paxil)

    Paroxetine was labeled as Paxil, another SSRI, though it was developed years earlier (1975) by a Danish company. Like others in this class, it is approved for MDD, OCD, panic and social anxiety disorders, GAD, PTSD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause (approved in 2013). Off label uses include treatment of chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder diabetic neuropathy, compulsive gambling, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), social anxiety, and trichotillomania.

  • Escitalopram (Lexapro)

    Escitalopram (Lexapro) was developed for major depressive disorder (MDD), and later, was also approved by the FDA for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Off label uses include OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, panic disorder, pathological gambling, as well as menopause-related and pre-menstral syndrome (PMS) symptoms.

  • Atomoxetine (Strattera)

    Atomoxetine (Strattera) is a drug that falls into the SNRI class, a new class of treatment that works differently from the other ADHD medications available. Strattera is not a stimulant but affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

  • Memantine HCI (Namenda)

    Memantine HCI (Namenda) was by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. The use of this drug may allow patients to maintain certain daily functions a little longer than they would without it. Other medications (called cholinesterase inhibitors) are prescribed for mild to moderate AD. These drugs (such as Aricept) may help delay or prevent symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time and may help control some behavioral symptoms.

  • Duxoletine (Cymbalta)

    Duxoletine (Cymbalta) has been found, at least at higher doses, to be as effective as Prozac in treating depression. In 2007, the FDA approved Cymbalta for the treatment of GAD, and in 2010, Cymbalta was licensed for chronic musculoskeletal pain (such as fibromyalgia).

  • Eszopiclone (Lunesta)

    Eszopiclone (Lunesta) is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic agent used for the treatment of insomnia.

  • Aripiprozole (Abilify)

    Aripiprozole (Abilify) was approved for use in treating depression when other antidepressants are already being used. While it was approved years earlier as an antipsychotic, it is the first drug in this class to be approved for use in MDD.

  • Pregabalin (Lyrica)

    Pregabalin (Lyrica) was approved to treat general anxiety disorder (GAD), though it had already been approved by the FDA in 2004 for the management of peripheral neuropathic pain.

  • Quetiapine (Seroquel)

    Quetiapine (Seroquel) is a second generation antipsychotic that was initially approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in 2004, but was then approved by the FDA to treat bipolar disorder in 2004, and later, as an adjunct treatment of major depressive disorder.

  • Desvenlafaxine (Pristique)

    Desvenlafaxine (Pristique) was approved for the treatment of adult patients with MDD. The drug is also currently under review as a treatment for moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) associated with menopause.

  • Lisdexamfetamine Demesylate (Vyvanse)

    Lisdexamfetamine demesylate (Vyvanse) is used primarily for the treatment of ADHD and is considered the prodrug of Adderall. In 2015 the FDA expanded the approved uses to treat binge-eating disorder in adults.

  • Viibryd (vilazodone HCl)

    Viibryd (vilazodone HCl) was approved by the FDA as an antidepressant. Preliminary research suggests that it may carry fewer side effects and is better tolerated than most antidepressant medications. Since people are looking for newer drugs with less side effects, it makes sense that the number of Viibryd prescriptions is relatively high.

  • Lurasidone (Latuda)

    Lurasidone (Latuda) was initially approved to treat schizophrenia, but has since been approved as a monotherapy for bipolar depression. It is also thought to be helpful for treating cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia and other memory deficits.