Why understanding your brain helps you get the best from treatment

TL;DR: Mental health medicines don’t “change who you are.” They fine-tune how brain cells talk to each other so your thinking, mood, focus, and sleep can work more smoothly. Because every brain is unique, the “right” medicine and dose are personal—and can change over time.

Why this matters

If you understand how a medicine helps, you can use it better—taking it at the right time, spotting helpful effects early, and knowing when to ask for a tweak. Think of it like glasses: the goal isn’t to turn you into someone else, it’s to reduce the blur so you can live your life.

A quick (friendly) philosophy detour

We’re all different—and that’s normal. Those differences come from:

Genes (about 20,000 of them), including ones that set up your brain receptors and liver enzymes (which helps explain why one person needs 10 mg and another needs 40 mg).
Environment & time (family, food, sleep, stress, illness, life events). Your brain adapts constantly.

A fun example: whether Brussels sprouts taste fine or evil depends on a gene that lets you taste a bitter chemical called PTC. If your tongue says “yuck,” blame genetics—not Christmas dinner.

The brain—your personal super-computer

Your brain has ~200 billion neurons, each with thousands of connections (synapses). That’s a lot of wiring. The outer layer—the cerebral cortex—does the heavy lifting for thinking, planning, memory, language, movement, and emotions. Four key lobes:

Occipital (sight)
Parietal (language & touch)
Temporal (hearing, memory, feelings)
Frontal (planning, impulse control, social judgement, movement)

The frontal lobe is your internal brake pedal. Alcohol blunts it (hello, oversharing). In some conditions (e.g., psychosis), it may underperform, which affects how we interpret thoughts and sensations.

How brain cells talk: synapses 101

Messages travel along a nerve fibre, then cross a tiny gap—the synapse—using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Think key (transmitter) and lock (receptor):

An electrical pulse reaches the nerve ending.
Transmitter is released into the gap.
It binds the receptor on the next cell (key in lock).
The next cell fires its own message.
Leftover transmitter is recycled (reuptake) or broken down by enzymes.

If we nudge what’s in that gap—or how the lock works—we can calm or boost signals in that network.

The big 10(ish) neurotransmitters (super-short version)

Serotonin (5-HT): mood, sleep, appetite, temperature. Too little → low mood, poor sleep. Too much → nausea, headaches; rare risk of serotonin syndrome with certain combos.
Noradrenaline (norepinephrine): alertness, focus, drive. Too little → low energy, dizziness. Too much → jittery, panicky.
Dopamine: movement, motivation, reward, salience. Too little (movement pathway) → stiffness; too much (reward pathway) → racing ideas, paranoia.
GABA: the brain’s brake (calm).
Glutamate: the brain’s accelerator (learning, repair).
Acetylcholine: learning and memory.
Histamine & Orexin: wakefulness.
Endorphins: pain relief, natural “feel-good”.

Most mental health medicines work by blocking receptors, stimulating them, slowing breakdown, or blocking reuptake (so more transmitter lingers in the gap).

How medicines help (with examples)

Antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs, etc.)

SSRIs mainly boost serotonin by blocking reuptake.
SNRIs boost serotonin + noradrenaline.
Why the wait? They adjust signalling and receptor sensitivity—this remodelling takes weeks.

ADHD medicines (stimulants & non-stimulants)

Methylphenidate / Lisdexamfetamine / Dexamfetamine: boost dopamine and noradrenaline in attention networks (especially frontal lobe), improving focus and impulse control.
Atomoxetine (non-stimulant): increases noradrenaline (and a bit of dopamine in certain areas), helpful when stimulants don’t suit.

Antipsychotics

Mostly reduce dopamine signalling at specific receptors to shrink hallucinations/delusions and settle agitation. Some also touch serotonin, noradrenaline, histamine, and acetylcholine systems (hence varied side effects).

Anxiolytics & sleep agents

Often enhance GABA (more “brake”), or influence serotonin/histamine. Helpful short-term; long-term plans should include therapy and sleep hygiene.

“Right drug, right dose”: why it’s personal

Genes: liver enzymes (like CYP2D6) can be slow/fast, changing levels and side-effects.
Body & life: weight, age, hormones, other illnesses, pregnancy/breastfeeding, and other medicines all matter.
Your goals: relief from which symptoms? What side-effects are deal-breakers? What time of day works for you?

It’s normal to titrate (adjust dose) and sometimes switch. That isn’t failure—it’s good clinical care.

Side effects vs benefits (and what to do)

Most side effects are dose-related and time-limited.
Don’t suffer in silence—tiny changes (timing, food, slower titration, splitting a dose, or switching formulation) can help.
Urgent red flags (chest pain, fainting, severe agitation, rash with fever, thoughts of self-harm, signs of serotonin syndrome) need same-day medical help.

Stigma check

Needing a medicine for your brain is no different from needing one for thyroid, asthma, or blood pressure. As one patient put it: “Life isn’t perfect on medicines—but it’s a whole lot better than without.”

How to get the best from your medicine

Be consistent. Take it the same time each day. Use a phone reminder or pill organiser.
Track changes. Keep a mini diary of sleep, mood, focus, appetite, and side effects.
Optimise the basics. Regular sleep, daylight, protein + complex carbs, movement, and reducing alcohol help your brain respond better.
One change at a time. Don’t add three new things and then guess what caused what.
Know the interactions. Always check new prescriptions, OTCs, and herbals (e.g., St John’s wort) with a pharmacist.
Plan for life stages. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, surgery, travel, and shift work may need dose/formulation tweaks.
Review regularly. Book check-ins to assess benefits, side effects, and whether to stay, tweak, or switch.

FAQs

How long until I feel better?
Some effects appear in days (e.g., reduced agitation or better focus), others build over weeks as networks “reset.”

Will I need this forever?
Not necessarily. Many people take medicines for months to years, with planned reviews and occasional tapers.

What about dependence?
Most psychiatric medicines are not addictive. Some (e.g., benzodiazepines, certain sleep tablets) can cause dependence with long-term use—hence careful, time-limited plans.

Can I drink alcohol?
Small amounts may be fine for some medicines; others don’t mix well. Ask first—alcohol can worsen mood, sleep, and side effects.

When to seek help now

New chest pain, fainting, severe headache, confusion, fever + muscle jerks/shaking (possible serotonin syndrome)
Severe rash with fever
Thoughts of harming yourself or others

In the UK, contact your GP, NHS 111, or 999/A&E in an emergency.

Affordable Healthcare

How Mental Health Medicines Work (In Plain English)