What are major tranquilizers or antipsychotics primarily used to do?

Major tranquilizers, also known as antipsychotics, are primarily used to reduce symptoms of mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression. These medications work by modulating the effects of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly dopamine, which helps to alleviate psychotic symptoms like delusions and hallucinations. The primary goal of these medications is to improve the overall mental health and functioning of individuals who are experiencing severe psychiatric disorders.

In contrast, inducing euphoria is more characteristic of certain substances that stimulate the brain's reward pathways, which is not the purpose of antipsychotics. Increasing alertness is generally associated with stimulants, while promoting relaxation aligns more with the effects of sedatives or anxiolytics rather than major tranquilizers. Thus, the utilization of major tranquilizers is specifically aimed at managing and reducing mental illness symptoms, making the correct answer clear in its focus on mental health treatment.