HeadMeds gives young people in the United Kingdom general information about medication. HeadMeds does not give you medical advice. Please talk to your Doctor or anyone else who is supporting you about your own situation because everyone is different. Please read more important details about our site.

Lithium

"LITH-ee-um"
Medication type:

Mood stabiliser medicine

Other names:
  • Priadel® "PRI--a-del"
  • Liskonum® "LIS-ko-num"
  • Camcolit® "CAM-col-it"
Headmeds 1 original audioicon listing
Taking Lithium
On a journey out of a very black hole, medication, particularly lithium, has provided some much needed foot holes, it’s just other stuff has, longer term, helped me not to slip back down

What can it be used for?

  • 18 & Over
    If you are 18 or over, the doctor can prescribe lithium carbonate or lithium citrate for you as a licensed medicine for mania, bipolar disorder, as an extra treatment for low mood (depression) that has been difficult to treat, or for aggression and self-harming behaviour
  • Under 18
    If you are 12 or over, the doctor can prescribe lithium carbonate for you as a licensed medicine for mania, bipolar disorder, as an extra treatment for low mood (depression) that has been difficult to treat, or for aggression and self-harming behaviour Manufacturers of lithium citrate have not done the research required in young people to obtain a licence. Even so, specialists might prescribe it ‘off label’ if it is the best medicine for you, especially if a liquid medicine would suit you better

Ways to take and what's in it?

  • Tablets

    Lithium carbonate is the ingredient in tablets under the brands Priadel™, Liskonum™ or Camcolit™

  • Liquids

    Lithium citrate is the ingredient in liquids under the brands Priadel™ or Li-Liquid™

Lithium is a medicine where it is very important to take the medicine as agreed and have a good relationship with your doctor and care team to make sure you get the best from it. The information on this site for Lithium is not the same as for the other medicines. 

Look out for symptoms that mean the level of lithium in your blood is getting too high.

Issues like alcohol, driving, concentration, sports, weight, sex life and fertility.