Aripiprazole and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• May...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2021

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Abilify has helped me so much. I have borderline personality disorder, so medication is used to treat our symptoms, not illness. Abilify has greatly decreased my mood swings, helped with my angry outbursts, and also helped eliminate most of my paranoia. It does make me a little anxious, and I've been a little bit nauseous, but other than that, I've had close to no negative side effects. I haven't gained weight either, which I know is a concern for most people before starting. I've been on it for roughly a month so far, and I'm at 5 mgs. I hope this medicine helps you as much as it's helped me."

• BAT...
• October 13, 2016

Aripiprazole 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!"

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

Aripiprazole 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."

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

Aripiprazole 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

Aripiprazole 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."

• Anonymous
• September 27, 2012

Aripiprazole 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."

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

Aripiprazole "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."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "I have been using Abilify Maintena for 2 months now. I had very little problems with my illness to begin with, but my psychiatrist decided to put me on it due to the many troubles I caused to some people a while ago. The drug has had very little to 0 therapeutic effect for me. In fact, now I have less motivation and a big social anxiety. I was previously on Xeplion (Invega Sustenna), and Abilify is still a lot better than Xeplion because it has a lot fewer side effects."

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

Aripiprazole 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

Aripiprazole 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

Aripiprazole 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."

• vee...
• March 27, 2017

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I have rapid-cycling bipolar and have been on Abilify for a little over 7-8 months. At first, I was on the Abilify by itself, and I experienced worsened anxiety and depression. I was thinking about switching drugs after a few weeks of these negative feelings not going away, so my Pdoc added Zoloft to my mix. This combination was a lifesaver for me. I would definitely recommend using Abilify as an add-on. My mania is manifested as rage, impulsiveness, and rapid negative thoughts in my head, and Abilify stopped that for me. The only negative side effect I have now is weight gain. I've only gained 8 pounds, but I have to ignore my food cravings."

• Gre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 2, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "I have used the Abilify Maintena for 7-8 months. All the side effects have almost disappeared except for the anxiety. My psychiatrist has agreed to put me off of it. I guess the anxiety will wear off within a couple of months."

• Man...
• January 13, 2017

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "Total mania, could not sleep, monitored sleep showed never in REM sleep at all over an 8-hour period. Anxious, increased respiratory rate, wide awake, no hunger, racking thoughts. Unable to finally function at job related to no sleep. This drug is horrid!"

• wir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 5, 2015

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "So far, so good. After having been on a high dosage of Effexor XR for several years and hoping to wean off of that med, I ended up in the hospital with a major depressive breakdown. The hospital psychiatrist prescribed 40 mg fluoxetine, and after 6 weeks, that wasn't touching my disorder. My new psychiatrist had me try Latuda 40 mg at first, and that med made me feel tense and horrible. Now we are trying a low dosage of Abilify along with the 40 mg fluoxetine."

• Cds...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2023

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I tried Abilify for certain health conditions, mainly for what the doctor suggested: bipolar disorder. The first week was great. I felt my mind was more stable and not racing, however, by week three, I felt horrible. I had unbelievable chest pressure, shaky, chills, lightheaded, flu-like symptoms, plus anxiety. I would not give this drug to my worst enemy. There has to be a better route. I have a family history of heart problems, so maybe that's why. I hope you find help with your struggle also."

• Ean...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "My fiancé has been taking meth for a long time. Ever since, he has had a sleeping disorder. Anxiety. Depressed. Doctor suggested this injection, Abilify. Is there anyone here taking meth and tried Abilify?"

• Cdn...
• August 3, 2021

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "I was hospitalized for having a psychotic episode where I was having delusions and hallucinations. I was originally started on the highest dose of Invega Sustenna but had the dose lowered and was switched over to Abilify Maintena after 5 months once my doctor was convinced I did not have schizophrenia. It completely cured me of my paranoia but left me, like many others here have described, without any emotion or motivation, which is why my doctor switched me and lowered my dose after complaining. My doctor said the antipsychotic contributed to maybe 5% of my lethargy and the rest was something else-i.e., depression/anxiety. In the end, we both agreed 1 year on the antipsychotics was enough. I am now 1 month off and am starting to feel like myself again. I felt the need to post this because not everyone gives updates. The drug worked, but I would not want to be on it for too long. Hang in there if you are coming off it. It does get better-at least for me."

• Abi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "My doctor prescribed me aripiprazole 5 mg per day. It helped little with my intrusive thoughts, but it gave me extreme anxiety, and I was smoking more while on this medication. Everyone is different, and that was not for me. Getting off and will try another antipsychotic."

• jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2018

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "After a few weeks, it had me unsettled and tapping my feet 90 miles an hour. It made me nervous. I went down on my dosage to 7.5, and I’m better but want off of it. I’m just without personality, and I feel like there’s something better I could take."

• lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2018

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Abilify since Sept 2017. I haven't gained weight, no side effects so far, and no anxiety. This drug helps me to focus and concentrate. It also keeps my moods stable. I take this with lithium 1200 mg and Seroquel 100 mg for sleep. Hopefully, it keeps on working."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 2, 2017

Aripiprazole for Schizoaffective Disorder "I've left an experience description on this site on July 1, 2016. On the plus side, I'm still calm, socially acceptable, void of psychosis, anger, am kinder and gentler. But I've continued to develop anxiety. It is accompanied by a strong depression. The quality of my life has taken a turn for the worse for the last two months or so. And it is constantly getting worse. Today I took half a tablet of Clonazepam, as suggested and prescribed by my psychiatrist for exactly this reason. Anxiety, panic. And it helped!! But I resent having to take a pill for such deeply disturbing and serious a side effect. Especially one such pill that is potentially extremely habit-forming, tolerance-developing, and dependence-training."

• Mia...
• July 29, 2015

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I'm a 22-year-old female, recently diagnosed with bipolar. I took this medication for a month, and it was pure hell. It made me an emotional wreck (never was emotional), crying out of nowhere, made my anxiety even worse, made me extremely tired, made me paranoid to the point where I thought I was going to die. Overall, I have no positive notes to tell. Didn't work for me, but hey, everyone is different."

• Mia...
• July 29, 2015

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I'm a 22-year-old female, recently diagnosed with bipolar. I took this medication for a month, and it was pure hell. It made me an emotional wreck (never was emotional), crying out of nowhere, made my anxiety even worse, made me extremely tired, made me paranoid to the point where I thought I was going to die. Overall, I have no positive notes to tell. Didn't work for me, but hey, everyone is different."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 29, 2021

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "First 2 weeks, I felt great taking 2 mg a day. Third week, this week, my intrusive, negative thoughts, anxiety, and panic disorders are back with a vengeance. Hoping to get better regulation of my emotions soon!"