mood stabilizers - Page 1 | CARLAT PUBLISHING

Lithium Goes Mainstream

April 20, 2026

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

In the 1950s, a young Danish psychiatrist named Mogens Schou staked his career — and his family — on a mineral most of his colleagues dismissed as dangerous nonsense. This is the story of how lithium went from fringe curiosity to the gold standard for bipolar disorder, and the bitter scientific battle that nearly derailed it.

Lithium: From 7UP to Table Salt

April 13, 2026

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

Before lithium became a cornerstone of psychiatry, it was in soda, spa water, and salt shakers. Trace lithium’s journey from Victorian health fad to life-saving mood stabilizer, and discover why the uric acid theory that launched it may be making a comeback.

Clinical Update

Bipolar Disorder and Addiction: Untangling a Complex Overlap

November 1, 2025

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Assistant Professor, NYU Langone Department of Psychiatry. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC.

Dr. Aiken has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

When bipolar disorder and substance use disorders co-occur patients can be difficult to diagnose and treat, particularly because they often present with mixed states rather than classic mood episodes. This article reviews evidence-based treatment approaches for specific substance combinations, including valproate for alcohol use, citicoline for stimulant use, and considerations for managing this complex dual diagnosis.

Benzodiazepines

May 1, 2025

Daniel Morehead MD

Director, General Psychiatry Residency Program, Tufts Medical Center.

Dr. Morehead has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Dr. Morehead discusses when to use them, how to taper them, and new research on withdrawal risks.

CLINICAL UPDATE

Mood Stabilizers in Bipolar Disorder: What Therapists Need to Know

September 12, 2023

Daniel Carlat, MD

Daniel Carlat, MD. Vice Chair, Community and Public Sector Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine. Publisher, Carlat Publishing.

Dr. Carlat has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Best practices for empowering your patient with the knowledge and strategies they need to make the most of mood stabilizers.

QT Intervals in Psychiatric Practice

June 19, 2023

Victoria Hendrick, MD. and Prabhjot Gill

Several psychiatric medications prolong the QTc interval and place patients at risk of the dreaded torsade de pointes. Some patients are particularly vulnerable to QTc prolongation: the elderly, patients with heart disease and electrolyte imbalances, and patients taking certain medications, like thioridazine and ziprasidone. In this podcast, we provide a step-by-step guide so that you can keep your patients safe from this cardiovascular side effect.