An Online Guide to Medications

The idea of taking antidepressants or any other medication to support your mental health can sound intimidating and almost scary at first. You might have a ton of questions about which is the most effective for you, how they might affect you, the potential side effects, or even just how to pronounce the names.

YoungMinds, an organization based in the UK to educate and support young people about mental health, has a specific section dedicated to helping youths understand the different kinds of medications that can be offered to treat mental illness. If you’ve recently been prescribed to use medication, or are thinking that you may need to start one, we hope this website can give you additional information and advice about the process. This includes how to get started, how to make sure to stick with it, and what to do if you feel like you’re worried about becoming addicted to the medication. There’s also a 50+ term glossary to explain mental health and scientific terms that are associated with treatment. 

There are currently 30 types of medication listed on the website. They cover medications treating issues such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia, just to name a few. Each medication includes the type it is (such as an antipsychotic or an SSRI), other names that it’s referred to, what it can be used for, and the form and dosage that it’s often prescribed as. Each entry also includes a young person’s story about their experience with taking it!

As listed on the website, please speak with your doctor if you are seriously considering starting or changing your medication if you feel like you found one that might help you on this website. YoungMinds is not a medical organization and is not giving professional medical advice.

Do you take medication to treat your mental health? If so, how did you learn about it? What do you wish you knew about taking medication for mental illnesses?