How Abilify Ruined My Life and What I Did To Be Healthy Again

Abilify ruined my life! – Have you ever heard this before and wondered how this medication can ruin a person’s life?

Are you or your loved one(s) going through a mental health condition like schizophrenia, depression, or PTSD, as well as other mental health disorders, and Abilify has been prescribed but you are not sure whether to use this drug because you have heard negative reviews about the medication and people described the drug as being awful for them.

Well, don’t worry, we will clarify your doubt and answer all the questions you might have concerning the topic – “Abilify ruined my life”.

This article shows some reviews from past and present Abilify users, how the drug affected them and how they coped with it to become hale and hearty again.

My article covers how this antipsychotic medication can ruin your life, how to fight its side effects and how to recuperate optimally.

We move!

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Firstly, what is this Abilify and How Does It Work?

Abilify, which is also known as aripiprazole, is an antipsychotic drug prescribed for the treatment of people with mental health disorders and conditions like schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, and other related mental health conditions.

Abilify (aripiprazole) is one of the most popular prescription medications. This drug used to sell for more than $5,000,000,000 each year. As a result, it became one of the best-selling medications of all time.

Because Abilify is now available in generic form as aripiprazole, brand-name sales have slowed significantly. That's hardly surprising. Abilify may cost more than $1,000 per month. If you get Abilify as the generic form which is aripiprazole, your monthly payment might be less than $15.

Abilify Ruined My Life! - How Can This Antipsychotic Drug Ruin Your Life?

To answer this, I will drop verified reviews of this antipsychotic from those who have used it so that you can see or read for yourself how legit the statement; “Abilify ruined my life” is.

And the following sub-headings after the review will further let you know how this drug can ruin your life because by reading their contents, you will know the side effects of this drug, what happens if you miss or overdose on it, and possible harmful interactions this medication has with other drugs, supplements, and substances you take in every. 

You will also know the warnings, contradictions, and precautions to note when taking Abilify and if/how this drug can ruin your life if you ignore these instructions, or take it as you like or on a whim.

The Reviews of Abilify

To better understand how Abilify and other “atypical antipsychotics” like Risperdal, Seroquel, Geodon, and Zyprexa, etc. affect people, we offer some very legit and real stories from verified real patients who have taken Abilify at one time or the other or are currently under Abilify and who have posted their comments to various health websites and blogs to let people know of their experience with Abilify so that people can learn from what they have passed through.

The Reviews:

• The first review is from Judy: “I was on a low dose of Abilify for a year and a half. The drug was discontinued but I still developed tardive dyskinesia of the mouth that has persisted for over a year. It is debilitating. My psychiatrist who prescribed it was so surprised that I developed this. He said he never had anyone else with it. How can he be so clueless? I can only guess that with time, he will find more people who develop serious side effects as well. The TV ad lists the side effects casually, as if they are minor, or will go away if the drug is stopped. Please warn others!”
• Second review from Chica: “I was put on a very low dose of Abilify yet had severe weight gain and developed diabetes. I wasn’t on this drug for more than 3 months. I am very disappointed and Abilify didn’t help relieve my depression either.”
• Third review from Bryan: “I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was placed on a mood stabilizer and antidepressant. The psychiatrist indicated that Abilify would be helpful to add to my regimen to assist towards reaching the desired therapeutic effect. I began to pace and was unable to sit still. I literally walked the halls for three days straight. I was desperate for relief and felt in order to keep myself safe I needed to be hospitalized during that time. The symptoms persisted long after the medication was taken away. I also had uncontrollable movements with my tongue and slurred speech. None of these side effects were discussed with me. May I strongly encourage that you develop a strong alliance with your psychiatrist. If you feel your doctors are not proactive and forthright about the effects of your meds, find a health professional who is. Your quality of life could be adversely and permanently affected.”
• From Stan: “Abilify was a horrific drug for me. Used as an adjunct to my antidepressant regimen at the time, it seemed to ‘dumb me down’ severely, and was detrimental to my memory and cognitive abilities. Didn’t work for me. This may be a less reported side effect.”
• Jewel’s experience with Abilify: “I am a 40 year-old female. After suffering a rare stress-induced heart attack I was given Abilify. I wasn’t asked of course or told what it was. I was very stressed and agree I needed the rest for sure, however I was out of it on this medication. Someone from smoking cessation came to talk to me and I would have thought it was a dream but he left paperwork beside my bed mail. I was amazed as I have never had a medicine that just literally paralyzed me physically and mentally. Had they admitted me to a facility and continue on Abilify until I died I would have opened my mouth and took the pill and did as instructed. My ability to think and/or say no was gone. I am a single mother of 3 and they actually sent me home with a script for this stuff. No way was I going to continue taking it.”
• A tragic death reported by E.N: “Abilify killed my mother. In 2002 she was in her mid-eighties and in assisted living. The psychiatrist on call put her on Abilify because she was ‘argumentative. My mother was also a type 2 diabetic and had been on oral meds for that condition for over 20 years. She was only on Abilify for a short time, maybe two months, when she tested very high for sugar one day. She was given an injection of insulin that evening and not checked on for several hours. At that time, she was “unresponsive” and taken to the hospital where she died a short time later, never having regained consciousness. “The doctor said she died of natural causes. In researching her meds, I came upon the information about Abilify being dangerous for diabetics.”

So all these reviews are negative reviews from Abilify users who claimed that the side effects of this drug are capable of ruining your life if you continue to use it, and the drug is not worth the side effects it brings.

Watch the video below to know more about this:

The Side Effects of Abilify

• Lightheadedness
• Heartburn
• Restlessness
• Nausea
• Incontinence
• Increased appetite
• Constipation
• Digestive tract distress
• Weight gain
• Anxiety
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Tremor
• Agitation
• Fatigue
• Akathisia: the uncontrollable desire or urge to pace or move
• Insomnia
• Dry mouth
• Sedation
• Arthritis
• Drooling and excessive salivation,
• Blurred vision
• Muscle pain
• Vomiting
• Elevated cholesterol
• Uncontrollable muscle movements
• Fever
• Grimacing
• Tardive dyskinesia
• Lip smacking
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
• Neck twisting
• Dizziness
• Stroke
• Low blood pressure, especially when the person standing¹https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/abilify-side-effects-can-be-scary
• Elevated blood sugar
• Diabetes
• Seizures
• Pancreatitis
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Blood disorders
• High potassium
• Palpitations
• Worsening depression
• Suicidal thoughts
• Gallbladder problems
• Low sodium

What About the Withdrawal Symptoms of Abilify? - Are the Withdrawal Effects of Abilify Dangerous?

When it comes to researching rapid removal from routinely prescribed drugs, psychiatry has a dismal track record. Researchers had to wait years to learn that when patients abruptly stopped using benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), or lorazepam (Ativan), they often had extremely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), Cymbalta (duloxetine), escitalopram (Lexapro), Zoloft (sertraline), and venlafaxine are no exception (Effexor), and the same thing goes for antipsychotics like Risperdal, and this Abilify.

Withdrawal Symptoms of Abilify

Withdrawal symptoms may occur if atypical antipsychotics are abruptly discontinued, however, this phenomenon has not been well-researched. Some reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, anxiety, agitation, disorientation, uncontrolled muscle movements, and sweating.²https://www.drugwatch.com/abilify/side-effects/

Because antipsychotic medication withdrawal is often undervalued, clinicians are provided little guidance on how to extricate patients from such meds. The FDA has been ineffective.

However, such medicines should never be abruptly discontinued. Before embarking on this adventure, please consult with a health expert about this possible consequence.

People’s Experiences with Abilify Withdrawal Effects

In the same way, I did in the Abilify ruined my life section, I will do that in this section as well by dropping the stories or reviews that people have said or written concerning the withdrawal symptoms of Abilify which have been verified to be true;

• Bryan in California was on a roller coaster ride: “Abilify at first worked great for depression, almost an instant relief for the first month. After the first month, it just destroyed all joy and beauty in life, and in my personality. I’m assuming because it is such a strong drug, it obliterates depression and even my general happiness. It killed my joy in life so much that I resorted back to a drug problem that I thought I was done with. It’s also given me a mild to moderate compulsion to gamble, an issue I never had a problem with. To top it off, quitting Abilify for good has been an ordeal in itself. The first time I abruptly quit Abilify, I began rapid cycling from high to low moods. That never happened before. The 2nd time I quit by titration. It seemed like there was a reoccurring periodic depression.  It would just come and hit me out of nowhere, which is a symptom I never had before taking Abilify.”
• Lori in Washington was zapped: “I was on Abilify for 6 years when one day I ran out of it. I decided to quit taking it. I didn’t feel any withdrawal symptoms for about a week and then the symptoms came on with a vengeance. I developed horrible restless legs, profuse sweating, nausea, stomach pains and a creepy crawling sensation that buzzed through my body like an electric current. This went on for months and now it’s been a year since I quit. I still have that creepy crawling sensation that has toned down a bit, but it’s still there. I still have the horrible restless legs and have developed high blood pressure that causes migraine headaches. Cognitively, I have a poor memory, poor judgement, and I can’t socialize and I feel like I’ve had a chemical lobotomy. If you are on this medication, DO NOT QUIT COLD TURKEY…It can really mess you up. I am hoping my withdrawal side effects will go away but I realize they might not.”

What Will Happen If You Miss a Dose of Abilify and What Should You Do After?

• If you missed doses, the drug will lose effect.
• If you forget to take a dosage of this medication, take it as soon as possible.
• If your next dosage is approaching, omit the missing dose and resume your usual dosing regimen. Do not take two or more doses to make up because it will lead to side effects that can be severe.

What Will Happen If You Overdose on Abilify and What Should You Do After?

The side effects mentioned in the side effects section of this article will happen, and if you overdosed on quite a large dose of Abilify, then just know that those side effects will be amplified to devastating levels.

The treatment of Abilify overdose is typically determined by how much medicine was taken and what adverse effects or odd symptoms were observed. The most frequent therapy for Abilify overdose is supportive, which means that the symptoms of the overdose are addressed. Consult your doctor immediately if you have overdosed on this medication.

What Will Happen When You Misuse Abilify and What is the Treatment?

This is a no-brainer.

If you misuse medications like antipsychotics, then you are signing up for the complications or side effects of this misuse, because drugs like Abilify are only to be used strictly based on a doctor’s prescriptions. 

Some of the side effects you might incur could be serious and life-threatening, as I have outlined such side effects above in this post, and they are certain conditions you might be in that you should never take this drug at all, and also certain things you should never take this drug in combination with. 

So, therefore, never misuse this medication, and always make sure to consult your doctor before taking medications like this.

The Drug Interactions of Abilify

Although some drugs should never be taken together, two separate medicines may be used together even if an interaction occurs. In certain circumstances, your doctor may wish to adjust the dosage or take additional measures. 

Your healthcare practitioner must know if you are taking any of the medications mentioned below while taking this drug. The interactions listed below were chosen for their potential relevance and are not meant to be exhaustive.

Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or may adjust some of the medications you are already taking.

It is not suggested to use this medication with any of the following medications. 

• Acitretin
• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C)
• Bacampicillin
• Bexarotene
• Live Cholera Vaccine
• Cloxacillin
• Desogestrel
• Dicloxacillin
• Dienogest
• Drospirenone
• Estradiol
• Estradiol Ethinyl Estradiol
• Ethynodiol
• Etretinate
• Gestodene
• Isotretinoin
• Levonorgestrel
• Sulfate of Magnesium
• Mestranol
• Methicillin
• Methotrexate
• Methoxyflurane
• Nafcillin
• Nomegestrol
• Norethindrone
• Norgestimate
• Norgestrel
• Oxacillin
• G-penicillin
• G-penicillin Benzathine
• G-penicillin Procaine
• V Penicillin
• Piperacillin
• Pivampicillin
• Porfimer
• Sultamicillin
• Temocillin
• Tretinoin

Combining this medicine in conjunction with any of the following medications may raise your risk of certain adverse effects, but using both treatments may be the best option for you. If both medications are given simultaneously, your doctor may adjust the dosage or frequency with which you take one or both of them.

Combining this Abilify with any of the following medications is normally not advised, but may be necessary for certain instances:

• Basic Aluminum Carbonate
• Hydrated aluminum
• Phosphate of Aluminum
• Bismuth Subsalicylate Aminolevulinic Acid
• Calcium
• Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
• Dihydroxyaluminum Carbonate of Soda
• Iron sMagaldrate
• Carbonate of Magnesium
• Magnesium Hydroxide
• Magnesium Oxide
• Trisilicate of Magnesium
• RifampinRifapentine

The above substances react negatively to Abilify, so consult your doctor on what to do.

Interactions with Others

Specific drugs should not be taken at or around the time of eating food, or while consuming certain kinds of food, since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or smoking while taking some medications may also result in interactions. Discuss with your doctor the use of your medication with food, drink, or cigarettes.

The Dangerous Complications of Abilify

Below are the major side effects or complications of Abilify that have been observed from the study of 34 people using Abilify:

• Akathisia and aggression

Some people reported akathisia, and others reported unusual aggression or anger. The latter included two violent physical assaults on family members. Some people reported a first episode of psychosis.

One woman’s episode came on when she stopped Abilify. “Bizarre and frightening thoughts” led her to assault her husband, whom she remembers confusing with someone from her childhood. She restarted Abilify, then tapered off the drug more gradually, and has now been drug-free for a year “with no bipolar symptoms whatsoever.”

Another woman diagnosed as depressed reported a first-ever “hypomanic” episode, with racing thoughts and rash decisions, on stopping Abilify. Two people described their akathisia as intense physical restlessness, saying they literally could not keep still.

One woman felt Abilify had helped her depression, but the restlessness was so intense she had to decrease the dose to one too low to be helpful.

Another described having to pace up and down while reading, as she could not sit down. The problem embarrassed her: “People can tell there’s something wrong when you make a lot of movement unnecessarily.”

Others described more emotional akathisia which led to suicidal urges and outbursts of anger. One woman described “wanting to crawl out of my skin”, with agitation, anxiety, insomnia, and thoughts of suicide – a “horrible torturous existence.”

Another man described a less intense yet pervasive anger and irritation. He felt he couldn’t complete familiar tasks, like replacing a part in his car, because the simplest obstacle would make him too angry to focus.

• Sedation and depression

At the other extreme, 14 people reported over-sedation and cognitive slowing, with memory, concentration, and word-finding problems. About half felt a profound emotional numbing, an inability to feel pleasure or care about anything. One man regretted this state but felt it was better than his prior severe depression.

For the rest, however, it brought new or worse depression. Three felt trapped at home by a “total lack of interest in life” along with anxious depression; loss of the ability to pursue, or even care about, formerly cherished goals was painful for others. Most reported suicidal thoughts of varying intensity.

• Suicide

Three confirmed suicides and one possible suicide were reported. One was a college student prescribed Abilify and Wellbutrin for depression and stress. According to his parents, this led to intrusive thoughts, worsening depression, and emotional numbness, including the loss of his longtime passion for music. Rather than preventing suicide, they felt the drugs had pushed him to the brink.³https://rxisk.org/abilify-from-the-inside-out/

The second was a middle-aged man who went to his doctor with back pain, admitted to mild work-related stress, and was started on antidepressants. This led to a four-year downward spiral of akathisia, hostility, depression, and more medications. His doctor’s final strategy was to double his Cymbalta and add 15 mg Abilify. Three days later he hanged himself.

Less was reported about the third suicide, a young woman treated for schizophrenia. She was already on two antipsychotic drugs and a barbiturate; her suicide came a few days after Abilify was added.

The fourth man, already on Effexor, developed paranoid ideas for the first time on starting Abilify, along with a compulsion to search out conspiracy information on the Internet. It wasn’t the thoughts themselves that distressed him, however, so much as his resulting inability to concentrate and work on his creative writing, the main source of meaning and purpose in his life. His family described increasing despair and low self-esteem. They also reported him as deceased; whether by suicide or some other cause wasn’t clear.

• Movement disorders

Three people had tremors in a single limb or hand. Two of these cleared up on stopping the drug; one man still had leg tremors a month later. Four others had tardive dyskinesia (TD), a pattern of severe involuntary movements linked to antipsychotic drugs; one woman also had seizures.

Their symptoms started after taking Abilify for at least a year and continued despite stopping the drug. They found their condition painful, debilitating, disfiguring, and socially isolating.

Two reported shortness of breath; one was newly diagnosed with “asthma”, but her breathing problems may be TD-related. While akathisia affected some patients even at low doses, all those with TD were taking unusually high doses, ranging from 15 mg for a year to ten years on 30 mg.

• Compulsive gambling

One man reported a gambling compulsion that began two months after starting Abilify, and gradually escalated until it ruined his finances and personal relationships. Problem gambling is the most common impulse control-related side effect of Abilify.

The medication may be more likely to cause gambling problems than other related drugs with similar impulse control effects. A 2021 study of Swedish health records found that people taking Abilify were significantly more likely to develop problem gambling behaviors than people taking other dopamine agonists.

Most of those who develop gambling issues while taking Abilify have no prior history of problem gambling. Contact your doctor immediately if you have the urge to gamble more frequently than usual.

• Weight gain

Nine people reported gaining large amounts of weight.

• Sexual Side Effects of Abilify

Four men reported sexual dysfunction. For two, this was part of a broader numbness and apathy; a third man, newly on the drug, reported erectile problems and agitation.

The fourth had severe genital pain that not only ruined his sex life but made any physical activity difficult. Hypersexuality is another manifestation of Abilify’s effects on impulse control.

This includes having unprotected sex, compulsive masturbation, having sex with multiple partners, or having sex outside of a committed relationship. Some people engage in sexting or sharing explicit images of themselves.

FDA data shows that 34% of people affected by antipsychotic-related impulse control disorders display uncharacteristic hypersexual thoughts or behaviors. Like Abilify’s other impulse control side effects, hypersexual behavior usually stops when you stop taking the drug or lower your dose.

How Abilify Ruined my Life and What I Did About It to Become Better and Well Again

I am sorry that I cannot cite my personal experience with this medication because I have never used this medication in my life, but I have gone through Abilify users’ reviews and seen why those with negative reviews said; ‘Abilify ruined my life’.

I have posted some of their reviews in this post above, so you can check their reviews and see why they said; ‘Abilify ruined my life’.

But I am not going through how Abilify ruined my life experiences again, but rather I want to let you know now how to become better and well again, after the Abilify experience.

To get better and well again, please read through this article, because I have given info on how to cope and fight the devastating and health-hampering side effects, as they are treatments available (check the section of 'Common treatments to treat the side effects of Abilify and whether you should take them or not' in this article and ‘Treating the Damages Caused by Abilify - Stopping vs. Staying On’ section).

Now the first thing you have to do on your way to getting better is to try to abstain from using the drug since it is well-established that the drug is harmful to your health, but make sure you consult from health experts the proper way to do this before you end up complicating your health even more

Then after that, your doctors will engage you in the recommended treatment available.

Warnings, Contraindications, and Precautions to take note of when taking Abilify

When selecting whether to take a drug, the dangers must be balanced against the benefits. You and your doctor will make this choice. The following factors should be noted while using this medication:

• Allergies: Inform your doctor if you have ever had an unusual or adverse response to this or any other medications. Inform your doctor if you have any additional allergies to foods, colors, preservatives, or animals. When purchasing non-prescription goods, carefully read the label or package contents.
• Pediatric: Unless otherwise ordered by the child's doctor, this drug should not be given to children aged 8 and under (save for the treatment of inhalational anthrax or rickettsia infection).
• Geriatric: Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Abilify is not approved for use in patients with dementia-related psychosis.
• Breastfeeding: There have been no good studies on women to determine baby risk when this medicine is used during nursing. Before using this drug during nursing, weigh the possible advantages against the potential hazards.
• Pregnancy: Using this medication while pregnant may be harmful to your unborn child. To avoid becoming pregnant, use an effective type of birth control. Inform your doctor straight away if you believe you have gotten pregnant while taking this medication.

Common Treatments to Treat the Side Effects Of Abilify And Whether You Should Take Them or Not

Common treatments are;

• If there is any loss of consciousness or if Abilify was combined with other drugs, charcoal may be used as a therapy. This is a chemical that binds to excess medicine and allows it to be excreted from the body. 
• A gastric lavage, often known as a stomach pump, may be required. A liquid is pushed down the esophagus and into the stomach through a tube inserted via the nose or mouth. The liquid, along with any stomach contents, is then suctioned or siphoned out of the body. 
• Dialysis is often used to treat overdoses because it purifies the blood. Dialysis, on the other hand, will not eliminate Abilify from circulation. 

Other supportive therapies for a Abilify overdose include:

• Intravenous fluids assist the body to reestablish fluid balance and reduce the number of drugs in circulation.
• Monitoring vital signs

Doctors recommend medicine to assist with nausea. You are given intravenous fluids to reduce the danger of dehydration caused by diarrhea, as well as a probiotic. Your gastrointestinal system will return to normal with the aid of a probiotic.

All the above treatments are functional, so if you are suffering from the side effects of Abilify, consult your doctor to know which will be most beneficial to you.

Treating the Damages Caused by Abilify - Stopping vs. Staying On

Of the many people still taking Abilify or who have taken Abilify, few reported that lowering the dose had solved the problem. One was a doctor reporting on a patient with schizophrenia; we don’t know whether the patient agreed with his assessment. Another worked out for himself the dose that would help him manage his schizoaffective disorder without too many side effects (about half what his doctor prescribed).

Two patients had sedation, cognitive problems, and weight gain, but feared the return of their original symptoms (delusions in one case, severe depression in the other) if they stopped.

Three people reported being coerced or pressured to keep taking Abilify: one by her employer, another by her doctor, while a third said simply “because I am obligated to.” One man did not explain why he stayed on the drug. Finally, one woman was quite happy with Abilify, although she had taken it for only five days. She had gained a lot of weight on a previous antipsychotic and felt she was already beginning to shed some of it.

I’ve heard from several other people who liked taking Abilify, and a few more who found it easy to tolerate for months before problems set in. In all cases, they had taken other antipsychotics first and felt Abilify caused less sedation and weight gain than their old drug.

Some people had their worst problems with stopping Abilify; others primarily had problems while taking the drug. Akathisia and agitation plagued some while on Abilify, and others only when they stopped. Sedation and cognitive problems, however, always began on the drug and improved on stopping in most cases.

Several people reported one set of problems while taking Abilify, and others on stopping. One woman quit after several years of feeling too sedated to function; she suffered from tardive dyskinesia and seizures but felt her “clarity of thought” returning.

So, it is best to confirm with your doctor on what to do; whether to gradually taper off or use smaller doses. Your doctor will vividly monitor you and check for any changes, whether positive or negative, and decide the next course of treatment you will stick with from what he/she observes.

Why Would Someone Take Abilify Long-Term?

Long-term Abilify usage (more than 3 months) has not been extensively explored. Because lower doses of Abilify are frequently used for extended periods to treat mental health problems, it has been presumed that long-term use of Abilify at an adult dose of 2mg/day is safe. However, it is not recommended to use this medicine over four months.

How can Anyone Notice the Side Effects of Drugs like Abilify Before It is Too Late?

Firstly, observe for any allergic reactions, and even though it is one you notice, consult your doctor immediately. Before taking this drug, ask your doctor for early signs to observe that should intricate you from stopping this medication usage. 

I have outlined the side effects to look out for in this article above, so please make sure you read up. 

Are there any alternatives to Abilify that are safer?

Abilify is available in a generic version which is Aripiprazole, but it’s recommended to treat the generic version like the main one because when it’s misused, it also has the same side effects though not as maximal as the main version but is equally dangerous.

Vraylar (cariprazine) and Lamictal (lamotrigine) are alternatives to Abilify. 

Is Abilify Just a Drug That Looks Better From The Outside?

Abilify is a stimulating or “activating” drug for the majority of people, although some feel sedated and slowed down. Five in the RxISK group took it with Wellbutrin, and two more just before or after trying Wellbutrin.

Doctors may be using it as they use stimulants when patients appear fatigued or slowed down and “activation” seems a good idea. Yet activation is a two-edged sword: welcome at times, but irritating or even agonizing in excess. It might look to the doctor like progress, even when the patient starts to feel nervous or agitated.

I thought of those trials where doctors rated the patients more “improved” than the patients rated themselves. Perhaps Abilify looks better from the outside than it feels from the inside.

Abilify marketing records, released during court cases, suggest Bristol-Myers recognized this. (In 2007, they paid $515 million to settle charges alleging bribery and other shenanigans to promote Abilify for unapproved uses.)

The huge nursing home market, full of elderly patients with dementia and “difficult” behavior, was one Abilify sales reps coveted. The sales pitch they crafted invited staff to picture a new resident who sat hunched over, staring into space all day – supposedly due to depression, since antipsychotic drugs are officially off-limits for frail elders with dementia.

Who wants to see that when they come to visit Mom on a Saturday? the reps asked. Wouldn’t we like to see her up and about, looking lively? The sales pitch worked; whether Mom felt better or worse in the long run, apparently, was not their concern.

“Abilify is just a sales pitch with a drug attached”

“I was glad I had dodged Abilify, and a bit spooked to see how close I’d come to being taken in. To see the entire medical profession falling for it made me really scared—and angry. “Not really an antipsychotic?” Gimme a break. “Little baby doses?” Not really. “True happiness”? Good luck!”

“My doctors’ best arguments turned out not even to be their own – just marketing pitches they’d absorbed without realizing it, possibly sold as Continuing Education.”

“There might be a legitimate use for this drug somewhere, but we’d never find out with marketing in the saddle and medicine trailing behind. Everything, from the drug’s name to the “scientific” studies, seemed built around the sales pitch.”

“I have seen many commercials about how drugs like Abilify can perk people right up,” one woman wrote to RxISK. “So, I was not only disappointed and frightened by the results, but felt once again tricked and exploited by the big promises that drug companies make but never seem to keep.” Amen, sister.” - This is from part 2 of Johanna Ryan’s series that started with Dodging Abilify.

A Word of Advice from Healthsoothe

Abilify is not suitable for everyone. If your depression increases, or if you experience odd changes in behavior or suicidal thoughts, contact your doctor. Abilify increases the risk of mortality or stroke in elderly dementia sufferers.

Call your doctor if you have a high temperature, stiff muscles, or disorientation to rule out a potentially fatal disease, or if you have uncontrolled muscular spasms, which may become permanent. High blood sugar levels have been recorded with Abilify and similar medications, which may result in coma or death in severe situations.

Other hazards include increased cholesterol, excess weight, significant losses in white blood cells, dizziness while standing, seizures, difficulty swallowing, and poor judgment or motor abilities.

Abilify (aripiprazole) was developed as an antipsychotic medication to help people with mental health disorders like schizophrenia and depression. For such patients, it may be quite appropriate and help them maintain functionality. But it is a powerful medication with many serious side effects.

SO BE WARNED! Make sure you have a very competent mental psychiatrist and make sure that you have your antipsychotic medications verified by another renowned and competent doctor before taking them because wrong antipsychotic medications easily bring dangerous side effects to a person’s mental health.

Additional resources and citations

• 1
  https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/abilify-side-effects-can-be-scary
• 2
  https://www.drugwatch.com/abilify/side-effects/
• 3
  https://rxisk.org/abilify-from-the-inside-out/