Abilify for anxiety: Does it work?

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Overview

Abilify is a brand-name medication containing the active ingredient aripiprazole. Doctors typically prescribe this antipsychotic medication for mental health conditions like schizophrenia. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved it to help manage symptoms of:

• major depressive disorder
• bipolar I disorder
• Tourette syndrome
• autism spectrum disorder

Doctors may prescribe Abilify off-label if you experience symptoms of an anxiety disorder, like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

In this article, we explain how a doctor may prescribe Abilify for anxiety relief, how the drug works, and the possible side effects you may experience.

Aripiprazole (Abilify) for anxiety

Abilify is not FDA-approved to treat anxiety disorders.

However, some doctors may prescribe Abilify off-label for the following mental health conditions:

• GAD
• panic disorder
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Because Abilify isn’t FDA-approved for the treatment of anxiety, there’s no specific dosage recommendation for people with anxiety disorders.

If a doctor prescribes Abilify to help manage your symptoms, they’ll likely start you on a low dose and adjust it over time, depending on how you respond to the medication.

Abilify comes in different forms, and the form you will take will affect your dosage.

The forms include:

• oral tablets, including orally disintegrating tablets
• oral solution
• an injection into your muscle in specific circumstances

The injectible doses come as 9.7 milligrams (mg) per 1.3-millileter (mL) single-dose vial, while the oral tablets come as the following doses:

• 2 mg
• 5 mg
• 10 mg
• 15 mg
• 20 mg
• 30 mg

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How does Abilify work?

Abilify works to help stabilize and balance the amount of certain neurotransmitters in your brain.

This medication works to help manage dopamine and serotonin levels, two neurotransmitters important for regulating your thoughts, mood, and behavior.

If you have anxiety, you may have too much or too little of these neurotransmitters. Abilify can help relieve your symptoms by reducing the amount of dopamine and serotonin in your brain.

The medication does this by competing with dopamine and serotonin molecules for the receptor sites on the nerves they bind to. This reduces the effect of these neurotransmitters on your mood and behavior.  

Common side effects

Here’s a list of some of the more common side effects you may experience while taking this medication:

• nausea
• vomiting
• worsening anxiety
• blurry vision
• mild allergic reaction
• rashes
• sleepiness
• memory loss
• restlessness
• increase in saliva production

If these symptoms don’t go away within a few days or weeks, or they worsen, speak with a doctor. They may be able to suggest an alternative medication.

Serious side effects

While uncommon, Abilify can cause serious side effects in some people. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical help as soon as possible:

• impulsivity
• trouble with temperature control
• suicidal thoughts
• extreme thirst and confusion, which may be signs of diabetes
• difficulty moving
• extreme fatigue
• fever, rapid heartbeat, and muscle stiffness, which may be a sign of neuroleptic malignant syndrome

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:

• Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day at 988.
• Text “HOME” to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
• Not in the U.S.? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
• Call 911 or your local emergency number if you feel it’s an emergency.

While you wait for help to arrive, stay with someone and remove any weapons or substances that can cause harm. You are not alone.

Traditional anxiety treatment

A combination of psychotherapy and medication is often effective for treating anxiety disorders.

Talk therapy, or psychotherapy, can be effective in treating anxiety symptoms in people who have no positive outcome from medication.

According to a 2016 study involving 227 participants, 58% of people who were resistant to anti-anxiety medications saw a reduction in their symptoms with talk therapy.

If you have an anxiety disorder, a doctor may recommend a combination of talk therapy and medications, such as:

• sertraline (Zoloft)
• fluoxetine (Prozac)
• alprazolam (Xanax)
• diazepam (Valium)
• escitalopram (Lexapro)
• lorazepam (Ativan)
• paroxetine (Paxil)

A wide range of anxiety medications are available, so if the first one you try isn’t effective, talk with a doctor about alternatives.

Summary

Abilify is an antipsychotic medication containing the active ingredient aripiprazole. Doctors prescribe it off-label to treat anxiety disorders.

If you receive a prescription for this medication, your doctor will typically start you on a low dose, increasing it over time depending on how you respond.

Most mild side effects of this medication go away within a few weeks. But if they don’t go away, let your prescribing doctor know. They may be able to suggest an alternative medication.

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