Has anyone who was or is on this medication had any of these problems?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning of impulse control problems associated with the atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole (Abilify, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd; Abilify Maintena, Otsuka; Aristada, Alkermes, Inc; and generics).
The drug has been associated with compulsive gambling, eating, shopping, and sexual activity. According to an FDA release, these urges reportedly cease when the drug is discontinued or the dose is reduced. The FDA also notes that although these effects are rare, they have the potential to cause harm to patients and others if they go unrecognized.
I attribute it to the dopamine agonism. People do the same things on cocaine and amphetamines, such as adderall. Personally, I’ve noticed a heightened libido.
For the brief stretch I was on disAbilify, it was like my Effexor stopped working as a mood stabilizer for me. Impulse control issues. Anger management issues. Punched a wall and broke a couple knuckles.
When I was on abilify I had a gambling addiction, drugs addiction to crack cocaine, speed and whatever I could get my hands on. I gambled all my savings one weekend and had to constantly borrow money, then I would gamble that money and I would be in a constant spiral of drug addiction and gambling. I was also majorly addicted to cannabis but I don’t care too much about that one, even though now I don’t smoke cannabis cos I can’t handle it now I’m off abilify. I would take any drug on abilify without barely even feeling the effects of the drugs… Thanks abilify. But everyone’s different and abilify effects everybody differently. Abilify is definitely not for me.
Yeppers. My pdoc just informed me that my compulsive shopping, eating and drinking can all be attributed to the Abilify right now. He added on Lithium to combat the compulsions.