About Risperidone

Risperidone is a medicine that helps the symptoms of mental health conditions such as:

• schizophrenia (where you may see, hear or feel things that are not there or you believe things that are not true or you feel unusually suspicious or have muddled thoughts)
• the mania symptoms of bipolar disorder, where your mood changes between feeling highly excited (mania) and very low (depression)
• aggressive or agitated (frustrated, nervous) behaviour in children over 5 years old, or young people with conditions such as conduct disorder or autism
• aggressive or agitated (frustrated, nervous) behaviour in adults with Alzheimer's disease

It's an antipsychotic medicine that works by affecting chemicals in your brain, such as dopamine and serotonin. It does not cure your condition, but it can help the symptoms.

Risperidone is only available on prescription.

It comes as tablets, including tablets that dissolve in your mouth, and a liquid that you swallow. It can also be given as an injection (for schizophrenia only).

Key facts

• Risperidone does not work straight away. It can take several days or even months for some symptoms to get better.
• Common side effects include feeling sleepy, problems with your movement and headaches.
• It can make you feel more hungry than usual, so you may put on weight.
• It's best not to drink alcohol for the first few days of treatment until you see how the medicine affects you.

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