Provided are methods for ameliorating a symptom of a neuropsychiatric disorder. Also provided are methods for ameliorating at least one symptom resulting from tobacco cessation and for ameliorating a symptom of Alzheimers disease or other cognitive disorder of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or other psychotic disorder of a depressive disorder of bipolar disorder of post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety disorder of a pain disorder or of traumatic brain injury. Also provided are methods for ameliorating a sleep disorder for improving cognitive functioning for predicting a predisposition to suicide, suicidal ideation, and/or suicidal behavior and for ameliorating a neurodegenerative disorder. In some embodiments, the methods include administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a neuroactive steroid composition, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.
