Facts

• Lithium is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks, water, plants and animals. It is used as a medicine in the form of a lithium salt called lithium carbonate or lithium citrate, which is usually taken orally, according to AnxietyHelp.org.
  
  Pharmaceutical companies who distribute lithium place their own commercial name on the package, such as Cibalith, Lithane or Lithobid. It is considered one of the most powerful mood disorder medications available.
  
  

Effectiveness

• In addition to its effectiveness as a treatment for manic depression and mania, more than two decades of research have shown that lithium is successful in decreasing the occurrence of new depression in those with recurrent unipolar disorder and in treating a variety of mood disorders including severe anxiety, according to AnxietyHelp.org.
  
  Some patients are quick to respond positively after beginning treatment, while others see symptoms slowly fade and then disappear. Unfortunately, some patients do not respond to lithium. It is estimated that 1 in 10 patients with bipolar disorder, for example, will not get better as a result of lithium. Since there is no clear evidence of exactly how lithium works to prevent or cure various disorders, there is no way to determine who will benefit from it and who will not. Usually, doctors give the substance to patients who are likely to experience another mental episode in the future and who have already experienced two or three in the past.
  
  

History

• An Australian physician named John Cade introduced lithium in 1949, according to AnxietyHelp.org. Cade said that lithium carbonate could be used in psychiatric circles to treat manic behavior. At the same time, lithium had been introduced as a salt substitute for heart patients, but the death of four patients from excessive use of lithium caused the medical profession to shy away from lithium development until it re-emerged in the 1960s.
  
  Clinical trials led to the eventual approval of lithium for mania treatment from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1970 and in 1974 the FDA approved it as a preventative treatment for manic depression.
  
  

Side Effects

• Possible side effects of taking lithium include nausea, diarrhea, dizziness and fatigue, as well as a general dazed feeling. Tremors and frequent urination may also result with long-term use, as can weight gain due to fluid retention. Acne, psoriasis and other skin problems may also become worse when taking lithium, according to RxList.com.