What condition is primarily treated with antipsychotic medications like risperidone?

Antipsychotic medications, such as risperidone, are primarily used to treat schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, and self-awareness. Schizophrenia often includes symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and significant impairment in functioning. Antipsychotics work by modulating neurotransmitters in the brain, primarily dopamine, which helps to alleviate these symptoms and improve overall patient functioning.

While antipsychotics can also be used in the treatment of certain aspects of bipolar disorder, especially during manic episodes, their most prominent and primary indication is for schizophrenia. This differentiates it from the other conditions listed, where antipsychotic medications are not typically the first line of treatment. Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder are usually treated with antidepressants, anxiolytics, or psychotherapy rather than antipsychotics.