Medication

Plain-language guides to the medicines we prescribe: what each one does, its side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned. Written for patients and reviewed by our psychiatrist.

• Escitalopram (Lexapro)Patient guide to escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex): what it's used for in Japan, its strengths, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned with your doctor.
• Sertraline (Zoloft / J Zoloft)Patient guide to sertraline (Zoloft, J Zoloft): what it's used for in Japan, its strengths, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned with your doctor.
• Paroxetine (Paxil)Patient guide to paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat): what it's used for in Japan, its strengths, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned with your doctor.
• Venlafaxine (Effexor SR)Patient guide to venlafaxine (Effexor SR): what it's used for in Japan including generalized anxiety, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned.
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)Patient guide to duloxetine (Cymbalta): what it's used for in Japan including chronic pain, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned with your doctor.
• Vortioxetine (Trintellix)Patient guide to vortioxetine (Trintellix, Brintellix): what it's used for in Japan, its strengths, common side effects, and how starting and stopping are planned.
• Mirtazapine (Remeron / Reflex)Patient guide to mirtazapine (Remeron, Reflex): what it's used for in Japan, how it helps sleep and appetite, common side effects, and how treatment is planned.
• Trazodone (Desyrel / Reslin)Patient guide to trazodone (Desyrel, Reslin): what it's used for in Japan, its calming sleep-friendly profile, common side effects, and how treatment is planned.
• Daridorexant (Quviviq)Patient guide to daridorexant (Quviviq): what it's used for in Japan, how this newest type of sleep medicine differs from older sleeping pills, and how to take it safely.
• Lemborexant (Dayvigo)Patient guide to lemborexant (Dayvigo): what it's used for in Japan, how this newer type of sleep medicine differs from older sleeping pills, and how to take it safely.
• Suvorexant (Belsomra)Patient guide to suvorexant (Belsomra): what it's used for in Japan, how this newer type of sleep medicine differs from older sleeping pills, and how to take it safely.
• Ramelteon (Rozerem)Patient guide to ramelteon (Rozerem): what it's used for in Japan, how this body-clock sleep medicine works, and why it isn't habit-forming.
• Eszopiclone (Lunesta)Patient guide to eszopiclone (Lunesta): what it's used for in Japan, how to take it safely, the famous bitter taste, and what to know about dependence.
• Zolpidem (Ambien / Myslee)Patient guide to zolpidem (Ambien, Myslee): what it's used for in Japan, how to take it safely, bringing it into Japan, and what to know about dependence.
• Alprazolam (Xanax / Solanax)Patient guide to alprazolam (Xanax, Solanax, Constan): what it's used for in Japan, why it works best short term, bringing it into Japan, and how dependence is avoided.
• Lorazepam (Ativan / Wypax)Patient guide to lorazepam (Ativan, Wypax): what it's used for in Japan, why it works best short term, bringing it into Japan, and how dependence is avoided.
• Aripiprazole (Abilify)Patient guide to aripiprazole (Abilify): what it's used for in Japan, how it differs from other antipsychotics, common side effects, and the monitoring that keeps treatment safe.
• Brexpiprazole (Rexulti)Patient guide to brexpiprazole (Rexulti): what it's used for in Japan, how it differs from other antipsychotics, common side effects, and the monitoring that keeps treatment safe.
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)Patient guide to olanzapine (Zyprexa): what it's used for in Japan, why diabetes matters with this medicine, common side effects, and the monitoring that keeps treatment safe.
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)Patient guide to quetiapine (Seroquel): what it's used for in Japan, why diabetes matters with this medicine, common side effects, and how treatment is managed.
• Risperidone (Risperdal)Patient guide to risperidone (Risperdal): what it's used for in Japan, how it differs from other antipsychotics, common side effects, and how treatment is managed.
• Lithium (Limas)Patient guide to lithium (Limas): what it's used for in Japan, why it's a gold standard for bipolar care, and the blood tests and precautions that keep treatment safe.
• Valproate (Depakene)Patient guide to valproate (Depakene, Epilim): what it's used for in Japan, the pregnancy warning that matters most, common side effects, and how treatment is monitored.
• Atomoxetine (Strattera)Patient guide to atomoxetine (Strattera): what it's used for in Japan, how this non-stimulant ADHD medicine differs from stimulants, and how treatment is managed.
• Guanfacine (Intuniv)Patient guide to guanfacine (Intuniv): what it's used for in Japan, how this non-stimulant ADHD medicine differs from stimulants, and how treatment is managed.
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)Patient guide to lamotrigine (Lamictal): what it's used for in Japan, why the slow start matters, the rash rule everyone should know, and how treatment is planned.
• Etizolam (Depas)Patient guide to etizolam (Depas), Japan's widely prescribed anti-anxiety medicine that isn't approved in the US, UK, or most of Europe: what it is, and what to know.
• Clonazepam (Klonopin / Rivotril)Patient guide to clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril, Landsen): how its Japanese approval differs from the US, bringing it into Japan, and how treatment is planned here.

These pages are general information, not medical advice. Your doctor decides what's right for you.