How to Use Aripiprazole? (+5 Personal Experiences)
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In this brief guide, we will discuss what Aripiprazole for anxiety is, its effectiveness for the treatment of anxiety disorders and its side effects.
What is Aripiprazole?
Aripiprazole, also known as Abilify for anxiety is a medication that is used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia in adults and children aged 13 and older.
The medication comes in tablet, solution, and disintegrating tablet form. It can be effective to use Aripiprazole for anxiety, sometimes it is prescribed to treat symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, autistic disorder, and Tourette’s disorder.
According to clinical studies, Aripiprazole can be useful especially in the treatment of bipolar depression, anxiety disorders, treatment-resistant depression, and major depressive disorder.
It also works by changing the activity of dopamine, which means that Aripiprazole is a mood stabilizer too.
Aripiprazole is known as a second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) or atypical antipsychotic.
The medication was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002.
Aripiprazole: a clinical review of its use for the treatment of anxiety
Nowadays anxiety disorders are common, but optimal treatment is unreliable.
Treatment by a course of antidepressants fails to fully improve the patient’s symptoms in most cases.
Recently, Aripiprazole has been considered to treat anxiety.
Aripiprazole(aripiprazole) turned out to be effective in treating anxiety disorders in two open-label trials.
But the data from large controlled trials on the use of Aripiprazole in particular for anxiety, are currently lacking.
The results of the open-label trials of Aripiprazole for anxiety supports its further study.
Aripiprazole side effects
Aripiprazole for anxiety or depression can be effective but you should also know about the side effects of this medicine, and tell your doctor if any of them becomes severe:
- Headache,
- Heartburn,
- Drowsiness,
- Dizziness,
- Nervousness,
- Increased appetite,
- Increased saliva,
- Pain,
- Stomach pain,
- Diarrhoea,
- Weight gain etc.
Aripiprazole for anxiety: Dosage
The starting oral dose for adults is 10 mg to 15 mg daily. This dose can be increased to up to 30 mg a day.
Your doctor may start you on a low dose of Aripiprazole and gradually increase or decrease the dose depending on your response to the drug.
You should take Aripiprazole for anxiety around the same time each day, with or without food.
If you miss a dose of Aripiprazole for anxiety, take it as soon as you remember, don’t take extra doses to compensate for any missed dosage.
Attention!
- According to some studies, older adults with dementia who use Aripiprazole for anxiety may be at an increased risk of death. They may also be at great risk for suffering a stroke, transient ischemic attack.
- Children, teenagers, and young adults (up to age 24) who took Aripiprazole for anxiety or depression are more likely to have suicidal thoughts during the first few months of treatment, or when the dose is changed. They shouldn’t take Aripiprazole for anxiety, depression, but there are cases that the doctor decides the medication aripiprazole is the best option for the child.
- It isn’t allowed to use Aripiprazole in pediatric patients with depression.
- If you notice severe side effects or suspect overdose, you should contact a poison control centre or emergency room immediately.
User reviews for Aripiprazole
Mom of 3
“My 7-year-old son is on 2mg. It has completely changed our family. He has not broken a window on kicked in a door since starting Aripiprazole. Before birth, he was exposed to drugs, alcohol, violence, chemotherapy, and pain killers. I adopted him at a year. He is diagnosed with Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and Asperger Syndrome. He is so calm now. He still gets irritated if things are not his way, but he does not act on his anger.”
Krypton
“I love this medicine. I have bipolar II disorder, and this medicine does everything it’s supposed to do. It keeps my manic moods completely in check and works very well in conjunction with Zoloft. I have been on both drugs for years, and I have not had any serious depression or mania for over 20 years! The only side effect that I experience is fatigue, but so worth it. The side effects are minimal. I feel and act NORMAL.”
Rodisms
“Aripiprazole has worked wonders for me. I told my doctor that I just didn’t seem to care if I did things or not and that things just didn’t bother me enough to make me want to fix them. She gave me Aripiprazole and even though I had my doubts that anything would work, 3 days after starting taking them, I found myself not wanting to stay still long enough to watch a whole TV show, because I felt there were better things I could be doing. I have been cleaning, rearranging, and packing away things every day since it took effect. I have never been one to want to do stuff. I would do what needed doing, but nothing more. Now, I just want to do it all. Love this stuff.”
Anonymous
“Something just “clicked” after I started taking this medication. I’ve suffered depression my whole adulthood and nothing seemed to do much of anything. Less than I week taking Aripiprazole I wanted to be active; I’m happier and more outgoing. So far no noticeable weight gain.”
Johnson232323
For Depression “I was hesitant to take Aripiprazole after being on Zoloft and later Wellbutrin without noticing effects, but I did anyway and within a few days I started noticing effects. I feel surprisingly good now. I find myself doing chores like washing dishes or my laundry and realize that usually, I would just slump around saying “I’ll do it tomorrow” until I’m nearly out of clean clothes or dishes. I find myself singing to songs on the radio and my mood is not only noticeably better — but remarkably and incredibly better. I haven’t noticed any side effects except maybe that I’m a bit hungrier than usual — for instance, I’ll feel hungry and get a meal but not be able to finish it. So far, excellent results. Only about 2 weeks in.”
Recommended books:
- CBT Toolbox for Children and Adolescents: Over 200 Worksheets & Exercises for Trauma, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression & Conduct Disorders
- Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope
- The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
- The Anxiety and Worry Workbook: The Cognitive Behavioral Solution
- Understanding Aripiprazole (aripiprazole): An Easy-to-Read Guide to Uses, Side Effects, Withdrawal, and More
FAQs about Aripiprazole for anxiety
How long does it take for Aripiprazole to work for anxiety?
It can take a few days, or sometimes 2-3 weeks, for Aripiprazole to start helping you.
But it can also take 4-6 weeks for you to see the full effect.
What symptoms does Aripiprazole help with?
Aripiprazole helps with the symptoms of anxiety disorder, depression disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, and irritability associated with autistic disorder).
What is good about Aripiprazole?
Aripiprazole can be useful for autistic behaviour.
Studies show that it can reduce irritability, hyperactivity and repetitive movements in autistic children and youth.
Is Aripiprazole an antipsychotic or mood stabilizer?
Aripiprazole is known as a second-generation antipsychotic. It is also a mood stabilizer.
You can also use Aripiprazole for anxiety.
Can Aripiprazole worsen anxiety?
Aripiprazole can worsen anxiety. If during the therapy using Aripiprazole for anxiety you notice severe side effects such as increased anxiety, akathisia, stop the therapy and talk to your doctor.
Conclusion
This brief guide helped us to know that Aripiprazole is used to treat anxiety disorder, depression disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome.
Aripiprazole for anxiety can be helpful, but you should be attentive not to overdose.
If you get severe side effects, stop the treatment and talk to your doctor.
References
- Aripiprazole website
- Diarrhoea – Symptoms and causes
- Drug overdose
- HFNE “How to explain depression”
- HFNE “How to get rid of anxiety”
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