Antipsychotics: What They Are, How They Work, and What You Need to Know

When someone hears voices or believes things that aren’t real, antipsychotics, a class of medications designed to reduce or eliminate symptoms of psychosis. Also known as neuroleptics, they don’t cure mental illness—but they can bring stability back to daily life. These drugs don’t make you numb or sleepy like old-school treatments did. Modern antipsychotics target specific brain chemicals, mainly dopamine, to quiet the noise in the mind without wiping out your personality.

They’re most commonly used for schizophrenia, a chronic brain disorder that affects thinking, emotions, and behavior, but they also help people with bipolar disorder, when extreme mood swings include psychotic episodes. Some doctors even use them off-label for severe anxiety, treatment-resistant depression, or agitation in dementia—though that’s not always the first choice. You’ll find them in pills, liquids, or long-acting injections that last weeks. The goal isn’t to lock someone away—it’s to help them live at home, work, and connect with people again.

But they’re not without trade-offs. Weight gain, tremors, dry mouth, and drowsiness are common. Some people develop a movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia, where their face or limbs move involuntarily. That’s why monitoring matters. A good doctor doesn’t just prescribe and walk away—they check in, adjust doses, and watch for signs your body is reacting badly. Risperidone, for example, is widely used because it works fast and has fewer side effects than older drugs, but it still carries risks. You need to know what you’re taking, why, and what to watch for.

The posts below cover real-world experiences with these drugs. You’ll find comparisons between risperidone and other antipsychotics, how they’re used for anxiety, what side effects to expect, and how to talk to your doctor when something feels off. No fluff. No jargon. Just what works, what doesn’t, and what people actually go through.