Abilify and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• March 10, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "I've just finished my first week on Abilify, and although I've been told that the med is ready to do its job from the 2nd or 3rd day you take it, I don't think my brain chemistry has settled down to one reaction. Right now, I'm pleased. I have Bipolar Type 2, and Abilify was prescribed to help with my constant depression. Now I am going back and forth between a little anxious and mildly manic, sometimes in one day. This is a huge improvement. I have energy! I can smile! Hope this is permanent."

• TJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 5, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "It did not stabilize my moods. I’m still all over the place, and the fact that I can’t sit still gets really under my nerves. I’m super paranoid on this. I feel 10x worse than I did before. It messed me up completely. Side effects: Severe akathisia, high anxiety, paranoia, delusions, mania, depression, suicidal ideation. I only took this for 2 weeks at a low dose of 5mg, and I'm done."

• Boy...
• May 1, 2017

For Depression "I have been on antidepressants for years. After several different meds, my doc has me on Celexa 40 mg. I was still experiencing anxiety and worsening depression, so we tried Abilify 10 mg. It was terrific until day 6 when my anxiety was horrible, and I couldn't sit still at all. This med tripled my anxiety, so I stopped it. I'm now taking 1/2 my Celexa (20 mg), and I started myself back on Wellbutrin today. Finally, the anxiety caused by the Abilify is gone. I see my doctor tomorrow, but I was just wondering what else works on anxiety?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2018

For Schizophrenia "Not myself on this medication. Feel lethargic. Plus, symptoms of depression have gotten worse, and so has being more paranoid. Feel emotionless and zombified after 2 months of taking it. Will never take this medication again."

• tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I would love to share my experience with this medication. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with major mood swings affecting my daily life, such as work. I tried Abilify 10 mg, and it made me feel like the living dead, no energy, feeling tired, and a really bad increase in anxiety and feeling paranoid. I was then lowered the dosage to 5 mg, however, it still made me tired and increased my anxiety. My physician does not want to take me off of it. I really do not wish to proceed with this medication. I stopped taking it without letting my doctor know. I really hope to try something else. Thanks."

• tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I would love to share my experience with this medication. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with major mood swings affecting my daily life, such as work. I tried Abilify 10 mg, and it made me feel like the living dead, no energy, feeling tired, and a really bad increase in anxiety and feeling paranoid. I was then lowered the dosage to 5 mg, however, it still made me tired and increased my anxiety. My physician does not want to take me off of it. I really do not wish to proceed with this medication. I stopped taking it without letting my doctor know. I really hope to try something else. Thanks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 1, 2020

For Agitated State "I was recently prescribed Abilify (the generic) during COVID. I have PTSD, BPD, and depression, so with everything going on, it has made me insane. I had rage outbursts and would want to hit people, not to mention the stress and lockdown. Every time I left the house, there were signs and masks everywhere. Anyway, I needed a change. I tried Abilify, I'm on 5 mg now. I found it actually increased my appetite, I gained at least 10 lbs, which I'm not fond of, but I've been eating again. I find it has worked great as far as a mood stabilizer. I've only had 1 panic attack since being on it. The first few weeks, I was really agitated and paranoid, though. If I don't take it at the exact time every day, I feel sick. Overall, it does help with my mood and rage, so I'll stay on it. I don't like the always having to move, it's nice at work, but not if I ever want to relax."

• Ric...
• June 27, 2019

For Autism "My son, 20 years old, autistic. He started having aggression, lots of anxiety. Dr. put him on Abilify, 10 mg in the morning, 10 mg at night. His aggression is worse, and he's also taking Depakote due to a couple of seizures in his teenage years. To make a story short, the Abilify is not helping at all, and his psychiatrist wants me to give him 30 mg. I'm lost, don’t know what to do."

• Gab...
• April 18, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This is a terrible drug! I would recommend to never take this. I was on it for 3 months, and it was the worst 3 months of my life. My anxiety and depression got so much worse, and I felt as if I was trapped with nowhere to go or no hope. It also made me feel as if I were out of reality."

• Tra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2021

For Schizophrenia "It was not a nice time being on Abilify, I was psychotic before starting it, and it did nothing to stop the demons in my head even temporarily. It also gave me a lot of anxiety, or I don't know if it is anxiety, just a very nervous, jittery feeling like my body is leaving my mind or something so difficult to explain. It sucks, not effective for psychosis."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2008

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Abilify for a week. It has already taken the edge off the rages. However, I am still experiencing high anxiety. My family says I am calmer, so that is definitely a plus. I feel tired and wired at the same time - it is a weird feeling. I am very paranoid. I was paranoid before, but this seems to have made it worse. But I am only on 2 mg. At least the rages are better. I am hopeful that this medication, along with help from my doctor, will be enough to get my life back."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2008

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Abilify for a week. It has already taken the edge off the rages. However, I am still experiencing high anxiety. My family says I am calmer, so that is definitely a plus. I feel tired and wired at the same time - it is a weird feeling. I am very paranoid. I was paranoid before, but this seems to have made it worse. But I am only on 2 mg. At least the rages are better. I am hopeful that this medication, along with help from my doctor, will be enough to get my life back."

• JBr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2016

For Depression "I started this medication when I was about 11 or 12 and took it for 6 months. It made me so anxious and so restless, I remember having to get up in the middle of class several times to get a drink of water to try and stop my anxiety. I had several episodes of this and always felt that I had to be moving. Maybe I was too young to be on the medicine, though..."

• BAE...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I have bipolar 1 and started this medication to help with breakthrough symptoms while on a mood stabilizer. Within the first few hours, I knew this wasn't the right medication for me. I was so anxious inside, I felt as if my blood was crawling around beneath my skin. After two days of taking it, I knew that if I stayed on it, I would be at risk of suicide to stop that horrible feeling. Taking it made me stay awake for two days, fretting with anxiety. I spoke to my doctor the first chance I got, and she immediately took me off of it. I'm on other medications now and very stable for years."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 24, 2021

For Depression "I started back on the 300 mg injection. I took myself off Abilify for a year because I believed it cured me. Then a year later, I started getting bad insomnia and anxiety. I would stay up 3 days and nights at a time. I got tired of feeling bad. So I begged my psychiatrist to order more of the 300 mg injection. No side effects, I sleep every night so well that the next day I have more energy. I'm not weak and tired during the day. No more anxiety, no more negative feelings, rarely I may get down. Nowhere near as bad as I was, one of my favorite medications. When I first get the injection, I feel great, ready for life. I'm glad I have no side effects. I feel younger and normal instead of constant anxiety, fear, and no sleep. I'm grateful for Abilify, miracle drug. I learned for it to work I have to keep taking it to feel well. The lesson I learned is to never tell my doctor I'm doing good and tell him to stop my meds because I'm good. I'm doing good because I take the medication injection. I'm happy to take it."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "This medicine did not work for me. I suffer from bipolar disorder with mood swings and panic disorder. I went up to 10 mg, and it seemed to help my mood, but it pushed my anxiety off the charts. I was a shaky mess while taking it and also unable to focus and complete tasks. Went off within 4 weeks."

• lql...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2021

For Depression "Doctor prescribed me Abilify to help augment the effects of my Prozac. After just taking one 5 mg pill, I was vomiting, shivering, nauseous. The next day I vomited again and almost passed out. It gets better each day, but the side effects are bound to last a while due to its long half-life. It also gives me horrible anxiety and is making me feel even more depressed. Honestly, this medicine is horrible. I should have just increased my Prozac dosage instead."

• BAT...
• October 13, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I'd love to say this med was good for me. I can't. I've never had such an awful response to a medication. After 1 week of being on it, I began to experience odd sensations. My arms felt disconnected, I couldn't get comfortable. At the 2-week mark, I had to leave work two days in a row, customers were terrifying me, my pulse was 180! By this time, my anxiety slowly shot up so high I was paralyzed. I couldn't walk across the room. I literally was stuck in a chair. Everything was extremely terrifying. Just sitting, I was afraid to move. Once I saw my doctor, I found out I had suffered a severe panic attack that sent me into an anxiety attack for TWO weeks! I was ill for six months. Read the pamphlet with the drug, it lists SEVERE ANXIETY!"

• Win...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2019

For Schizophrenia "I started 20 mg Abilify a month ago, and the only side effects I’ve had are extreme restlessness, especially in the morning. It has helped with paranoia, but I think the help is wearing off after a month because symptoms are returning. I’m doing some form of CBT therapy, which I hope isn’t bringing back things or triggering my schizophrenia symptoms, but I’m still going on full force with medication because I’ve always stopped taking them early. Here’s to hoping all these extra side effects that have happened only this last weekend: increased anxiety, paranoia, and minor hallucinations. On a side note, these extra symptoms are manageable if I’m keeping busy and not letting my mind take control. I just have to stay in the passenger seat."

• Anonymous
• September 1, 2010

For Depression "At first, I thought this medication was great. I did feel better in just a few days, but then the jerking started and sometimes what felt like anxiety attacks. I have never had anxiety attacks before. I quit the medicine after about 4 months simply because of the side effects. It did make me more alert and active."

• Nig...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 22, 2022

"It causes me to become very scared and have very irrational and abstract fears. I was never scared of genuine horror until I started taking Abilify for OCD. My ears have aggressively started ringing ever since. I was never scared or frightened by demons or demonic presence, but now it is prevalent most of the time. It feels like there are some demonic eyes everywhere just watching me. Every time it gets dark, there could happen that something from the void jumps at me, and it is scaring me. I am barely able to form a coherent thought, and my cognitive abilities are completely dead. I forget a lot of stuff and logical connections. Overall, it has been a bad experience with these medications."

• Anonymous
• September 27, 2012

For Agitated State "My teen is on the first week of Abilify, and Strattera will be added in another week for ADD. He had been on Focalin for ADD/ADHD, which we thought worked the best of all ADD meds we tried over many years. But what we didn't realize is that stimulant meds (like Focalin, Concerta) can cause paranoia, anxiety, and agitation, which came out in him-making his doctor think he had a secondary, more worrisome disorder. Every symptom went away after stopping the stimulant med for 2 months. I hope Abilify works as a balance for the Strattera. His doctor said no more stimulant meds for him, although they work the best."

• Jax...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 19, 2016

For Autism "My 18-year-old son has been on 2 mg for 15 months; he was never aggressive but got irritable after our divorce. He started having issues puking with anxiety. He continues to have issues with repeated vomiting. He has not gained weight, and I am now thinking that is because he vomits so much. :("

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I was on Abilify for constantly thinking disorder, it made me gain a lot of weight. I have a lot of thoughts, the medicine did nothing to stop them. I feel like it just created more anxiety and akathisia."

• Fri...
• September 4, 2016

For Depression "I started taking Abilify about 4 weeks ago. I am bipolar. Of course, the highs are great and the lows, well, you know. My doctor thought that this would cause me to level out the highs and lows. Not such a bad idea, but I think (no way of knowing for sure) this medication has caused me to go down gradually. Seems like it eliminated the high altogether and caused me to drift into a moderate low. Unlike before taking this med, I am able to still function somewhat better than full-blown depression. Right now, I feel pretty poorly with anxiety and depression. I have thought about stopping this medication, and after reading some of these experiences, I've decided to stop this medication (5 mg) today and see what happens. I still take Lamotrigine."