Buspirone and Depression: What Users Say

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 6, 2025

Buspirone for Anxiety "Started at 5 mg for 10 days and then 10 mg for 12 days. The whole time I was on it, I felt quite ill. Nervousness, anxiety, and depression became worse, and I did not have one good moment. I couldn’t handle the side effects, and today I decided to stop cold turkey. So for me, it made me feel worse."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2023

For Anxiety "This medicine caused me to have tremors, increased anxiety, insomnia, and worsening depression with suicidal ideation. Never. Freaking. Again."

• Sab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2023

For Panic Disorder "Absolutely horrible!! Only took this for 4 days, and I’m immediately stopping it. I was only prescribed 5 mg too. The first 2 days I didn’t feel anything, but the next days I felt horrible around 15 min after taking it. I felt extremely disassociated, stressed, and sad out of the blue. It led me to have an anxiety attack, which is crazy because it’s supposed to help with anxiety. I personally would not recommend this and would never take it ever again. I felt horrible, and I’m glad I’m finally feeling myself since I stopped it."

• Gai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2022

For Anxiety "I know some meds are not for everyone, but this medication made me feel insane in a way no others have before. It made me feel completely on edge at all times, along with restlessness, anxiety, hopelessness, crying spells, fear of outside, light, and being alone, disassociation, and constant fear. I can't believe a medication can make you feel this way. I just wanted to post my review in case others are going through what I went through-that you need to get off the meds and give it time, unfortunately. I truly felt like I was going insane and went to the ER, my PCP, and psychiatrist, and all of them were surprised that buspirone could cause this, but it was buspirone. So if you are going through getting off this med, just know that you will be okay and that you will not feel this way forever, and it just needs to work its way out of your system. Be careful and don't lose hope."

• cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2022

For Anxiety "Be careful before starting this medication. I have learned this the hard way by not doing my research before starting a new med. This medication is powerful and has terrible side effects that I am still dealing with while trying to wean off of it. Mood swings, severe panic, depression, intrusive thoughts, trouble sleeping, disassociation, and hopelessness. I was put on 60 mg when I started having severe panic that would not go away, and it lasted for weeks before I decided to start weaning myself off of it, and I am still working to get off. Do yourself a favor and do your research before starting with this drug, it's not as innocent as it may seem."

• cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2022

For Anxiety "Be careful before starting this medication. I have learned this the hard way by not doing my research before starting a new med. This medication is powerful and has terrible side effects that I am still dealing with while trying to wean off of it. Mood swings, severe panic, depression, intrusive thoughts, trouble sleeping, disassociation, and hopelessness. I was put on 60 mg when I started having severe panic that would not go away, and it lasted for weeks before I decided to start weaning myself off of it, and I am still working to get off. Do yourself a favor and do your research before starting with this drug, it's not as innocent as it may seem."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed this drug to help my anxiety through a job change. DO NOT take this drug! It doubled my anxiety, insomnia to the point that I hadn't slept in 3 nights, caused jerking motions that would wake me up when I did actually fall asleep, nauseous, absolutely no appetite, feelings of complete depression and hopelessness."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed this drug to help my anxiety through a job change. DO NOT take this drug! It doubled my anxiety, insomnia to the point that I hadn't slept in 3 nights, caused jerking motions that would wake me up when I did actually fall asleep, nauseous, absolutely no appetite, feelings of complete depression and hopelessness."

• Kel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 30, 2021

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "Wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy. Just wanted to share that I had the worst panic attacks of my life on this medicine. I would shake uncontrollably at random times, get extremely dizzy, and feel brain zaps throughout the day. I was on 5 mg, and this medicine had this much effect on me. Made me extremely depressed, and my doctor didn't even know it was the medicine that was causing these side effects. Please be careful when taking this medicine, it can be very dangerous."

• jon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2021

For Anxiety "I have been taking this a week now at 7.5 mg twice a day for anxiety, and the side effects are awful. My short-term memory is declining, I'm even more anxious and depressed, have major brain fog, and bouts of bad anxiety. Hopefully, just strong side effects that will go away soon, but I'm in major doubt. I don’t recommend taking this medication at all, absolutely the worst experience I’ve ever had."

• Sem...
• June 30, 2020

For Anxiety "This buspirone was prescribed during quarantine, so it took me a while to distinguish the medicine's side effects from how I would otherwise be processing this difficult situation. Over the span of 2 months, I thought I was just increasingly extremely fatigued from trying to stay at and work from home with a 2-year-old and 5-year-old, with no set end in sight. I went to bed early, didn't sleep well, and couldn't get out of bed. My sex drive disappeared. I ate too much, and the consistency of rapid 20-pound weight gain in my stomach and neck was odd - my mid-section was tight, and my throat was bloated (I later figured out this was water retention). Instead of my general happy nature, I felt listless and hopeless. Then I read about other people experiencing the same side effects and felt relief that it wasn't just how I was now. I phased myself off. My sleep and appetite immediately went back to normal, and I feel energy and optimism again."

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2020

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I am taking 1.0 mg of Xanax 2 hours before I drive to and from work. My general panic turned into a specific phobia of driving on the highways about 2 years ago. My doctor wanted me to try BuSpar, 15 mg twice a day, to try to get off the Xanax. It gave me massive headaches, blurred vision, made me very sad (I am normally a very happy, positive person), and did nothing to help my panic. I have been on many SSRIs, Paxil helped me for years and then suddenly stopped working. I gave BuSpar a shot and regret it. The worst side effects of any medication I have ever tried."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2020

For Anxiety "Increased: my anxiety, heart racing, weight gain, insomnia, anger, jitters, and sadness."

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "Horrible! Was almost working and then, boom! Hyped up my anxiety and OCD, worry, and panic. My doctor said to stay with it a few more weeks. Started to get depressed and very sad. Beware! It might work for some, but for the ones it doesn't, it is a dangerous drug!"

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "Horrible! Was almost working and then, boom! Hyped up my anxiety and OCD, worry, and panic. My doctor said to stay with it a few more weeks. Started to get depressed and very sad. Beware! It might work for some, but for the ones it doesn't, it is a dangerous drug!"

• Pur...
• November 19, 2019

For Anxiety "The third week on buspirone for anxiety, and I developed side effects of tachycardia, didn’t sleep more than 3 hours/night. I also developed tremors, fever, muscle aches, bone pain. I also developed chest pain and pressure. It became so bad I was close to fainting constantly. I thought my thyroid problems had come back. At the end of the third week, I went to the doctor who told me to immediately discontinue. I had an ECG, which was normal, and so was my thyroid. But it was the worst experience I had with a medication, and I had become so exhausted and confused I didn’t realize I had to stop until the doctor told me so. Please be careful with this medication. If it works for you, that’s wonderful. However, if you start developing weird symptoms, go talk to your doctor right away. I stopped taking it 4 days ago and am now experiencing withdrawal symptoms: depression, lots of anxiety, extreme lethargy, nausea, even flu-like symptoms, but I know it will pass."

• SJJ...
• September 5, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar is the worst drug I have ever taken. It was prescribed several years ago for anxiety to cope with an upcoming surgery and the health risks associated with it. Prior to BuSpar, I had never taken any depression medicine nor struggled with extreme anxiety. I exercised often and was not taking medicine for any other health issue. BuSpar sent me into a horrible, deep pit of despair, unlike I had ever known or could even imagine anyone having. The doctor kept telling me it would take a while to work, but after two weeks, BuSpar never did. I got off of it and, while still anxious about surgery, had no more extreme depression. The despair caused by BuSpar was far worse than the surgery. If I had to choose, I would gladly have that surgery again rather than take another round of BuSpar. Seriously, be careful with this drug."

• SJJ...
• September 5, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar is the worst drug I have ever taken. It was prescribed several years ago for anxiety to cope with an upcoming surgery and the health risks associated with it. Prior to BuSpar, I had never taken any depression medicine nor struggled with extreme anxiety. I exercised often and was not taking medicine for any other health issue. BuSpar sent me into a horrible, deep pit of despair, unlike I had ever known or could even imagine anyone having. The doctor kept telling me it would take a while to work, but after two weeks, BuSpar never did. I got off of it and, while still anxious about surgery, had no more extreme depression. The despair caused by BuSpar was far worse than the surgery. If I had to choose, I would gladly have that surgery again rather than take another round of BuSpar. Seriously, be careful with this drug."

• Flo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 15, 2018

For Anxiety "Since I started this medication about 4 months ago, my depression increased dramatically. I went to several different doctors because I knew something was seriously wrong, but I didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t stop crying and couldn’t function at work. Over the last week, I tapered myself off of Buspar, and today I didn’t take any. I gradually started feeling less crazy and today felt great! I’m sure this med works for more people than it hurts. But, believe yourself even if the doctors don’t. If you feel worse, it may just be the Buspar!"

• Lop...
• November 19, 2016

For Anxiety "Was on this for a month... I went mental!! I was less anxious, but the side effects were really... really bad. I was extremely depressed and aggressive! I was itchy all over, but no rashes, and I had an awful headache that tramadol couldn't even touch!!! Went to a wedding and spent most of the time in the bathroom just to avoid people. Personally, if a GP suggests this drug to you, I would say no, GOD NO! But this is only from my own experience. I'm now on Prozac and diazepam because it messed me up so much. Looking forward to some normality in my head!"

• KMa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2016

For Anxiety "I experienced suicidal ideation during the week that I was on this medication. Significantly increased those thoughts as well as my depressive symptoms."

• tra...
• November 30, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "This is the first anxiety medicine I have ever been on, and it is by far the worst experience ever. My moods are anxious, depressed, and irritable. At first, I thought I was just overwhelmed with school and work, after reading some other reviews, I realized it's the BuSpar doing it to me. If I take one due to an anxiety attack, about an hour later I am crying and talking about how much I hate myself, then about 30 minutes after that stops, I get extremely irritable and everything makes me mad. I've quit taking it until my follow-up appointment, and I can get it changed. I will never try this again."

• Roc...
• January 18, 2012

Buspirone for Anxiety "Taking this medicine, I began to feel despair on and off, and suddenly, after 30 days, it hit me very, very hard with heavy despair thoughts. I had to hold my head for an hour or two, waiting for the BuSpar to dissolve completely. I had to stop taking it. It's sad because I needed this medicine."

• ANo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2020

For Anxiety "I was taking Buspirone for general anxiety, and it caused really bad depression, intrusive thoughts, randomly would start crying, and was waking up in the middle of the night in a full panic. The first 2 weeks, I felt really good, and by week 3, I started slowing down, not thinking correctly, and had a very dark cloud over me. I stopped after about 2 months, and the first 2 weeks off of it were really bad. Not everyone is the same, but take this medication with caution!"

• Biz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2019

For Anxiety "I've been on buspirone for about 6 days now, never having been on any other anxiety medicine until now. My doctor recommended 15 mg tablets (half a pill, twice daily...so 7.5 mg each time). So far, I feel more agitated, haven't been sleeping at all, waking up almost every hour with severe muscle cramps in my legs and feet, sharp muscle pains in my side, and still have feelings of worry and stress and mild depression, shaky as if I drank about 5 energy drinks. I'm not sure if I should keep taking them, as my doctor said it could take about 3 weeks to get into my system fully, or if these side effects are enough to call my doctor and see if he should change my dose or medication altogether."