http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin#Negative
Quote:
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Gabapentin has been prescribed in the mental health context. Numerous trials show that it is not effective as a mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder and so has no therapeutic advantage in having fewer side-effects over better established bipolar drugs such as lithium and valproic acid. Gabapentin has limited usefulness in the treatment of anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in treatment-resistant depression, and for insomnia.
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in the 90's they were TRYING to use it as a stabilizer.
it's mostly used for neuropathic pain and other nervous pain, seizures and off label for migraines. those i've personally heard from who took it as a "stabilizer" either had no success or the "apparent" success wore off after the grogginess that comes with getting used to it.
i personally found that when i took the odd dose for sleep, i was much more relaxed the next day... lower anxiety. so if a baby dose (eg 100mg or even 50mg) actually had an effect on you, and you didn't get "used to it," i could see it helping you feel more "chilled out."
why were you given it? anxiety, sleep, mood stabilizer, other?
i am shocked that any doc nowadays is giving it as a mood stabilizer. for anxiety i could see trying it, and especially anxiety-related insomnia.
~ waves ~