r/Abilify_Aripiprazole

My doctor is switching me from olanzapine to abilify I’ve gained 20kg on olanzapine my doctor said it is weight neutral anyone have any bad or good experience with weight gain /loss on abilify

Im now able to work full time, keep stable relationships, sleep 8 hours a night, and remain sane.

No more paranoia, delusions, rage, mood swings, and only a few hallucinations left.

It took me 4 years since being diagnosed with bipolar 2 but im here. Hooray

Hope yall can find the right med for you.

Hi guys, I have OCD and received 10 mg of Abilify, 10 of lexapro and 0.50 of Xanax, I however thought it was too much and decided to only take the lexapro and half of the xanax, today however I decided to also take the abilify and the akathisia REALLY hit, I went for a swim now and am doing relatively better but I am really afraid it'll come back, I also really need to sleep too, cause at the same time the abilify sedated me and I feel like SHIT. I am really scared on how long will this last. I am never taking abilify again

Hello everyone. I suffer from Pedophile OCD and schizophrenia. Recently people in real life have been responding to my thoughts and it’s weirding me out. I have to convince myself logically that it’s impossible for people to hear my thoughts. It’s gotten to the point where I spend all day sleeping to ignore the voices who are angry at me for being a pedophile, which I have to convince them I’m not. I’ve just been letting them believe what they choose to believe. I’ve gotten off my meds recently (about 2 months ago), my mom really wants me to go back on them. Does anyone else have this comorbidity? I don’t believe in things such as like I’m a God (well I believe all humans are Gods in their own way once we are connected to nature), but I feel like the delusions I’ve been having all day are just how to Free Palestine and end Capitalism. I know ultimately, I’m just one person. My delusion brain says : you have the power to awaken people to revolutionary actions/ thought through their minds. My logical brain says : your thoughts have no consequences on real life except the actions that you take to Free Palestine.

Started Aripiprazole in 2017 for having severe OCD and weird thoughts. In 2017, I weighed about 250 pounds and now I weigh 350 pounds. I do have PMOS (formally known as PCOS), but I truly believe that it isn't all PMOS that caused my weight gain.

I went on a GLP-1 drug for weight loss and then developed thyroid cancer in 2024. I actually go to hospital on Sunday for my thyroid cancer treatment.

Before taking Aripiprazole, I was slightly overweight and actually lost a lot of weight by going on the strict diet. Then, in 2017 the psychiatrist put me on Aripiprazole. However, I'm still getting weird thoughts and since 100 pounds later in weight, I am still always hungry. I've gained so much weight on this medication.

Last night, I read through the aripiprazole leaflet and it said you must NOT take this medication if you gain a lot of weight (something like that). Also, it causes gambling addiction. I have had to ban myself online from gambling.

Has anyone else had this experience? If you gained a lot of weight, have you lost it now?

Near the beginning of last month, on August 7th/8th I've been prespriced aripiprazole at 10 mg by my psychiatrist, and I've been taking it kind of on and off, now as of today only having 7 pills left out of 30. At first, nothing bad happened, but one week ago (and I think it was because of withdrawal from it) was when it all began: insomnia, akathisia, anhedonia, etc.! It's been a nightmare so far, I tell you! I can't fall asleep, I feel the need to constantly move, and my emotions and desire to do things (like using my phone to watch videos/streams and use social media) have been tanked!

Yesterday, my psychiatrist told me to cold turkey aripiprazole and take mirtazapine (15 mg) and clonazepam (0,5 mg), in order to help with the insomnia, and I did take the latter two but still took 10 mg of aripiprazole that day. I read that mirtazapine and clonazepam have complications of their own, like needing to take mirtazapine for 6 months or clonazepam also causing anhedonia. What should I do? Should I cold turkey all 3 three? I heard that if you took mirtazapine and clonazepam only once and that's it, then it's okay to abandon them, but I'm not sure about aripiprazole.

Should I taper it off to 5 mg instead, and then after a few weeks, go even lower to 2.5 mg and then after a few more weeks stop completely? Genuinely, what should I do? This situation has been awful for me, and I fear that I've got a long road ahead... If you have any advice to give me, I'll gladly listen and be very grateful!

for context, i have been diagnosed with depression and severe anxiety especially in social situations. i also just experience very high highs and low lows, just very emotionally reactive. my psychiatrist says there’s a possibly of a mood disorder but doesn’t want to diagnose with bipolar yet.

i take 300mg wellbutrin for depression since it’s activating and gives me motivation/energy but it makes my anxiety unbearable on its own.

i also have been taking trazodone 75mg for years just for sleep, nothing major.

i got prescribed abilify 2mg and it’s been two weeks. no weight changes, but i do notice more hunger than usual. but it does make me feel more tired and emotionally blunted. like I can’t cry at all. but on the opposite side of things, it’s working SO well for my anxious racing thoughts, emotional regulation, “quieting the brain noise”, being social/“normal” in front of people, etc.

my issue is i have had disordered eating in the past and body image is a huge trigger for me with my body dysphoria. it makes me super anxious knowing i am on medication that can cause intense weight gain. i was actually considering not taking it in the first place because of how deeply rooted my worry was.

my psychiatrist said the other option she was gonna prescribe me is lamictal. but i heard since theyre different types of medication, it might not work as well as the abilify.

i am not planning on going over a 2mg dosage because where im at right now is kinda perfect. is weight gain really an issue with the 2mg alongside a high dosage of wellbutrin? and could i potentially add lamictal to this combo and be fine?

my plan with my psychiatrist next time is: if abilify isnt weight neutral- unfortunately get off of it and lose the positive effects but start the lamictal instead and see if that helps me as well.

what are your experiences switching abilify to lamictal? is there a major difference or does it also help you out?

I don't know if I am tripping but I just started Abilify last week. Everything that I consume tastes super salty or even metallic.

So buproprion increases the levels of aripiprazole, but at what dose? Or is it all the same?

For example

150 mg buproprion and 5mg aripiprazole -> 10mg aripiprazole

What about 300mg buproprion? Will it be 20mg aripiprazole?

What about 200mg lamotrigine in addition permanently?

Patient with bipolar

Psychiatrist wants to increase buproprion because the patient is groggy and eats all the time, what do you think?

I wanted to share my experience tapering off aripiprazole because I know there are a lot of people here who are either considering a taper, currently tapering, or just trying to understand what life can look like after antipsychotics.

I’m 27, and I started antipsychotics in 2023 with olanzapine but switched to aripiprazole in 2024 at 10mg. At the time, I was also taking olanzapine 7.5mg (I’m still not entirely sure why both were prescribed together). I was prescribed antipsychotics following episodes of what my practitioner diagnosed as stress-induced psychosis.
I had three episodes in total, and each one followed a significant stressful event or difficult circumstance.

After my hospital admissions, I was told that I would likely need antipsychotics for life. At the time, that was a really difficult thing to hear because, although the medication helped stabilise me, I also felt like I wasn’t really living.
I didn’t feel like myself. I felt emotionally flat and disconnected from things that used to bring me joy. So I started researching antipsychotics, brain-altering medications, and withdrawal/tapering. Over time, I decided I wanted to slowly reduce my medication.
For context, my highest dose of aripiprazole was around 15mg. My taper looked roughly like this:
15mg → 10mg → 7.5mg → 5mg → 2.5mg → 1.25mg → 0
The taper took around two years. It was a personal decision and wasn’t supervised by my psychiatrist (I informed them rather than seeking approval beforehand). I know that tapering is a very individual decision, and I’m not suggesting anyone follow my path — I’m just sharing my own experience.

One of the biggest things I’ve struggled with throughout this journey is the idea that I was permanently diagnosed with schizophrenia. I personally have always questioned that diagnosis because, in my experience, my episodes were always linked to extreme stress or specific circumstances. I have never experienced hallucinations, heard voices, or seen things that weren’t there. My episodes were short-lived, and I recovered quickly with support and treatment.

The first time I was prescribed olanzapine, I actually stopped it abruptly because I didn’t understand what I was taking. I researched it, saw weight gain was a possible side effect, and at 24 years old I panicked and stopped.
I didn’t understand withdrawal or the risks of suddenly stopping medication, and unfortunately things escalated afterwards. Looking back, I wish I had been given more information and support around that decision.

This time, I approached things very differently. I went extremely slowly and paid close attention to how I was feeling. Interestingly, I didn’t experience noticeable withdrawal symptoms with each reduction, which is one of the reasons I felt comfortable continuing.
I have now been completely off aripiprazole for two months.

Obviously, it’s still early, and I’m very aware that recovery and adjustment can continue over months or longer. I’m staying vigilant and paying attention to any changes. I’m also not against medication in the future if I genuinely need it,I’m not trying to make a statement that antipsychotics are never necessary. I’m just reflecting on my own circumstances and my own experience.

So far, being off medication has been overwhelmingly positive.
The biggest change I’ve noticed is that I feel excitement again!

That might sound like a small thing, but it’s honestly huge to me. I feel excited about upcoming plans. I look forward to things. I actually anticipate experiences instead of just going through the motions.

For example, before, if a friend invited me to a birthday dinner, I would go and enjoy it, but I wouldn’t have that feeling beforehand of “I can’t wait for this weekend.” Over the last couple of months, I’ve started feeling that again.
The other thing I’ve noticed is that I actually feel emotions more fully. Not just happiness, but everything. I feel the lows too, but honestly, I’d rather experience the full range of emotions than feel completely numb.
While I was on aripiprazole, I felt like I was watching life happen rather than fully experiencing it.
Right now, I feel more present.
I’ll continue updating this at 6 months, 1 year, and beyond because I know the longer-term picture is important. I’m hopeful, but I’m also realistic and paying attention to myself.
If anyone has questions about my taper, my experience, or anything else, feel free to ask.

been on 2.5 mg abilify for 3 weeks and did wonders, basically cure the depression and still have some anxiety (I also have been on 100mg Zoloft for 10 years). I have been exercising and getting so much done, experienced Akathisia which started to make me feel anxious like I couldn’t settle down by evening and had to start my clonazepam Which helped. the last 2 days I was sick with flu like symptoms and it’s the first time I’ve been forced to not exercise and sit still/do nothing on Abilify and now I'm having the OCD, anxiety loops in my head again and stuck on it. I’m worried it stopped working but I’m scared to increase dose due to the akathisia. Has this happened to anyone or am I just getting used to it or do you think it’s just because I’ve been sick and started my luteal phase?

Hi all, along with the sensation of facial ticks, around the lips, I feel also this sensation to smile.

My psych told me to stop at 5 MG so I waited for4 days without taking abilify anymore. But those 4 days were terrible: unbearable insomnia and facial sensation of tics and slight twitching of the right eye

So basically stopping at 5 MG led me to this. On Tuesday I continued, told him, the tapering at 4-3 mg these days.

I'm totally doubtful: I feel a sensation of smile too, but don't actually smile and all these side effects are annoying and I don't want Tardive dyskynesia

Should I just stop at 3 mg by accepting the fact I'll have withdrawal symptoms that can last a lot but at least I'd avoid TD or I should continue tapering it off but with the risk of TD (and these side effects are something similar)?

Thank you!

I want to start this off by saying; taking your medication on time and consistently is key to stability at first. However, at least for me and for many others, life becomes more dull while on antipsychotics like abilify, etc.
(Comment your medication name and overall experience, I want to know and it can help others on their journey)
Secondly,

I used to smoke, take shrooms, abuse antidepressants and relaxants, and drink. This combination of mind altering, psychoactive, hallucinogenic substances, caused me to start having drug induced psychosis, to a pretty extreme level. I was diagnosed with bipolar with psychotic features, and schizophrenia. I’m not sure if they just classified drug induced psychosis as a diagnosis, or if I’m actually schizophrenic..

All I can say is, I have gotten a lot better, I’ve been medicated on abilify for 1 year and some change. The voices I heard are completely under control, they feel like my own thoughts, and I’m almost completely back to normal, and I realize they are not some external voice, instead just my own thoughts feeling like they are coming from exterior sounds instead of playing in my head like a normal thought would.

I started to feel a lot more stable after taking my first few months of abilify injections, but recently I asked my doctor to halve the dose. Then I took a trip to Australia, and had to make a 30 day supply of 9mg tablets last 90 days, so I kind of made a unsupervised decision to take my medication every 3 days to make it last (not recommended without speaking with a doctor first)

Thankfully it all worked out and now,I actually am on 3mg daily which is pretty much the same thing, even lower than my halved dosage.

I really wanted to join the military, so if my symptoms go away I think I’ll try to talk to the doctor to have them remove my diagnosis if that’s even possible because then it means I was just under drug induced psychosis and it’s not a mental health issue.

Thanks for reading :) 🖤🙏

Does anyone know if Abilify can cause insomnia? My psychiatrist is convinced the reason I only get like 3-4 hours of sleep a night (and rarely 5-6 hours but it’s broken) for the last 6 years while I’ve been on the Abilify 400mg injection is due to my crappy sleep hygiene. Before I started the Abilify I mostly slept fine. The medication has been a godsend for maintaining my bipolar disorder though. I also gained a lot of weight on the medication which my psychiatrist told me was normal.

Should I just stop taking the injection? Like what’s the worst thing that can happen other than becoming manic once awhile again? I mean, my manic episodes were really bad because I suffered from psychosis in them, and got into trouble with the law a lot. I don’t know what to do. The insomnia is killing me as it’s affecting my ability to function properly. But then again, my manic episodes also affected my ability to function. I’ve tried seroquel and it just doesn’t work for me, that medication just makes me drowsy without actually getting me to fall asleep faster and stay asleep.

week 3 of Abilify and I’ve read it can take up to 6 weeks for a medication to effect you fully. about a week ago I started getting bad restlessness. I’m walking lik 15-20k steps per day because I just can’t stop doing things. it’s like I took an Adderall and an energy drink. it’s great when I have something to do but when I don’t, I have a hard time settling down and then I start getting anxious about it. my doctor reduced me to 2mg tablets yesterday I was only breaking 5 in half. She told me to take clonazepam for it so I did and now I’m just drowsy, useless, and out of body ish today.

My doctor recently prescribed me 2 mg abilify..but after reading through reviews I’m concerned about the weight gain..I’m already trying to lose, what has been your experiences with this medication?

Now I took some days ago the last dose of 5 MG.

Should I stop it as I had many side effects including facial tics? Or I should tape it off from 5 MG to below?

Feel also right eye twitching.

Thank you

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some reassurance or honest experiences because, honestly, when I search for Aripiprazole online I mostly find horror stories, and it's making me really anxious.

I'm the primary caregiver for my 27-year-old brother. He is autistic, minimally verbal, and this is the first psychiatric medication he has ever taken.

Over the past few years he has become increasingly aggressive. He gets frustrated over very small changes or things not going the way he expects. During meltdowns he hits himself, hits me, throws things, and sometimes breaks objects. He isn't violent all the time, but when he loses control it can be very difficult and unsafe.

His psychiatrist started him on a very low dose of aripiprazole, and we're only at the beginning. So far I haven't noticed any changes, good or bad, but I'm terrified after reading so many negative experiences online.

For those of you who have experience with autistic adults taking aripiprazole:

• Did it help with aggression, irritability, or self-injury?
• How long did it take before you noticed improvements?
• Were the side effects manageable?
• Did anyone have a positive long-term experience?

I know everyone responds differently, but I'd really appreciate hearing some real experiences—especially positive ones—because right now my anxiety is through the roof.

Thank you so much!!!

I just went off four days ago and wanted to see if there’s anyone who has come off the last few months and can tell me about their experience.