Table 6 Impacts of antipsychotic medications among participants with bipolar I disorder^a

Medication effectiveness

Side effects

“I feel like they help you to get control [of symptoms].”

“I’ve changed medications because of the weight gain.”

“Suicidal thoughts. I don’t have any suicidal thoughts at all.”

“Mine was low libido. And it’s causing issues in my marriage.”

“Then you gain the weight and then you bring yourself back into a tailspin because you’re gaining weight

“It [antipsychotic medication] drained my energy level completely.”

Satisfaction with medication

Discontinuing or switching treatments

“Right now, I’m good. Don’t switch [my medication]. Don’t switch me.”

“Diabetes runs in my family and I didn’t want to get [to] that point so I was like, ‘I can’t be on this medication.’”

“I haven’t been hospitalised since 2001. Been on the same medication since 2001.”

“Medication changes are horrible. I hate when the medication is working and you have to find something else. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist next week, and we’re going to have to find something else, because I can’t sleep 12 h every day.”