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Hello crazyboards, I wanted some feedback on the difference between typicals and atypicals...specifically Abilify versus Prolixin. I have been taking Abilify for years which means I have had to live with sh**y side effects for a while now. I got to the point where I could no longer tolerate the side effects so I decided it was time for another med change. Also, I finally realized that the Abilify could be a contributing factor to my weight problem. My doctor suggested Prolixin and I agreed to try it. I remember being on Prolixin for a short period of time in the past and I don't recall any awful or intolerable side effects. The reason I quit the drug was an entirely different story all together which had nothing to do with the medication its self. I have been struggling to find the right medication for years. I tried just about every option available to me with my previous psychiatrist. The trouble is that the meds work but they all cause intolerable side effects. Even the medications used to counter those side effects, have their own awful side effects. Both my previous and current psychiatrist recommended trying the older "typical" antipsychotics at low doses. Both of them said that their patients experienced less side effects on those medications at low doses, than with the atypicals. Since I am already on a very low dose of Abilify anyway, I figured it was a perfect fit. I wanted to know if there are any marked differences between Abilify and Prolixin for the better or worse...in general and in terms of side effects. I had gotten used to the sh**y side effects of Abilify although some of them seem to have worsened or I have developed new ones over time. If this cocktail doesn't work, I am at the point where I am greatly considering going off of meds all together (safely by titrating down). However, I don't really feel that being medication-free is an option for me. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who seems to greatly benefit from medication and struggle without it. Ps. Another side note: I had to quit cannabis due to my medication which is a major bummer. Ever since I started taking antipsychotics, years ago, cannabis began affecting me differently to the point where it wasn't worth it. It began interacting with the meds and causing adverse effects as well as dulling the high. I am hoping this changes once I start taking typicals, seeing as they work a little bit differently.

I know many people here have taken Abilify longterm as an adjunct, but I am honestly worried about longterm side effects (weight gain, akasthia). I trialed it twice and it made me constantly hungry, wanting to eat everything (I tried both 2mg, 5mg), made me tap my feet a lot. I wonder if taking it only on the week that I am very symptomatic (week before menstruation) it would be effective? Is Abilify something that kicks in within a few days of taking it? My other thought was biting the bullet and using Risperdone for this week (which I really hated when I was on it daily, it made me a zombie, and my Prolactin shot through the roof) The symptoms I want to treat (happen @ 4-7 days per month) are: dysphoria, hypersensitivity, severe depression, anger, uncontrollable crying to exhaustion, suicidal ideations, ruminations, stress and some heart palpitations.

Hello all, I'm looking for some med experience/anecdotes! I am bipolar and also have anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. Currently I'm taking Lamictal (400mg/day), Geodon (80mg/day), and Adderall (25mg/day). I'm looking to change it up because I am seriously struggling with the side effects. Since starting Geodon I am tired all the time (it doesn't help that I'm in the midst of a depressive episode) and I've gained 20+ pounds in two months. I think it's helping with the manic side (or maybe that's just because of the depressive episode I'm in?) but I can't deal with these side effects. The Adderall works great for my ADHD but I think it's making me too edgy/irritable for my liking. On top of it I have been having terrible anxiety lately. I'm meeting with a new PMHNP next week and I like to research my med options ahead of time so that I feel more informed and can advocate for myself. I'm interested in Wellbutrin because it doesn't have weight gain associated with it, it helps with binge eating and supposedly helps you quit smoking (both current concerns of mine), and can work for both depression and ADHD. I'm also interested in Buspar as a possible anxiety med? I like that it also isn't associated with weight gain and that it isn't supposed to be sedating. I've also taken Abilify in the past (before I took Geodon) and didn't experience any terrible side effects other than it making me sleepy but maybe combined with the right thing that wouldn't be as much of an issue? Anyone have experience with this combo or a similar one? Any and all feedback appreciated! The med game is so overwhelming.

I made the prolonged mistake of not refilling my meds for about 3 weeks. Whoops! I'm on 20 mg of aripiprazole (Abilify) and 200 mg of lamotrigine (Lamictal), which I've been on for about 2 years in varying doses. So my friends finally took me to the pharmacist today to pick them up, but I want to make sure I'm safe about going back on. Should I slowly increase dosages? Or can I just start back on my normal amount ASAP? I would go to a psychiatrist to figure this out, but I there aren't any appointments for another 2 weeks.

Hello out there, i am so very desperate. I was perscribed Abilify 2.5mg in July 2018. Because I was struggling with inner restlessness and my symptoms were returning, I decided to discontinue at the beginning or December 2018 (5 weeks ago). Since discontinuing I have experienced anxiety that is terrifying. I have very little rest from it... terrible insomnia. Many days I feel I can’t go on. I returned to my doctor a week ago and she has started me on Sertraline, and has given me a few diazipam. I was so desperate I went to the hospital yesterday and have been put under the care of the psychiatric team and have been given some sleeping tablets to help me sleep, which didn’t work very well last night. I am scared that the withdrawals will never end. Is there anyone out there that has experienced similar? Af x

Hello everyone, I hope everyone's December has been off to a good start. I am back, on the med merry-go-round and also sober from opiates.... Again (16 days as of now). So I was taking wellbutrin as an add on to my Prozac, and it really didn't help and might have made me worse, losing dramatic amounts of weight, a lot of intrusive thoughts, very depressed (though that's probably just it not doing much for it. And getting off drugs.) so I'm now on the Rexulti starter pack. I'm here seeking others experiences with abilify and rexulti, since they are both dopamine partial agonists and 5-ht1a partial agonists, amongst other things. I'm very nervous about taking an antipsychotic for depression, though... And just want to know of other's experiences starting these medications. How were the side effects? If you had any, did they eventually go away? Did you gain weight? I appreciate anyone who shares their experience. I've asked about these meds before, but I'm so nervous about it I just want reassurance. A lot is changing around me. Thank you all so much, and I hope the holidays have been treating you well.

I was curious about Abilify, first off have you personally seen a huge increase in weight after getting on abilify? I hardly have an appetite, even without meds, and it's very hard for me to gain weight. I also exercise pretty modestly, about an hour a day. Would I be safe from weight gain caused by Abilify? The only antipsychotic I've been on long term was Seroquel, helped me a lot and I don't think I gained more than 10 pounds, which could've just been me not being so depressed and having an appetite again. Is the same likely for Abilify? I am just terrified of this because I have gained a large amount of weight, over 20 pounds from one medication which was Remeron. It really messed with my body and I am terrified of that happening again, because honestly, being fat makes me feel ugly and even more depressed. Second, I wanted to talk about something my psych brought up to me. He said that Abilify and it's relative Rexulti, have "pro-cognitive" effects, meaning they help with brain fog, apathy, concentration, motivation, and even energy. Apparently both are used for ADHD, with even the makers of Rexulti trying to get it approved for ADHD. Have any of your experienced this from either of the two? Because I am in need of something that helps with cognition, mainly apathy and low, low motivation and interest. Bottom line, I am very interested in Abilify and its sister Rexulti. They are very interesting pharmacologically, with them being sort of unique antipsychotics... I would be taking Abilify for depression and as an add on to an antidepressant, by the way. I've always been scared of the word "antipsychotic" but knowing how Seroquel basically annihilated my depression in the past, I can't deny their benefits. Please share your experience, and as always, thanks for helping me out.

I've taken Abilify for almost 10 years. I was originally put on it for anxiety, which was rather unwise. I havn't felt good from doing exercise since being on it. However, It did seem to help with OCD. My OCD used to center around cleanliness, now I don't care much. Now my OCD involves intrusive, repetitive thoughts. I am on 10mg Abilify 300mg Luvox, 50 mg Lamictal, 500mg Depakote, and 50mg hydroxyzine as needed. 5 months ago my Abilify does was increased from 5mg to 10mg. Everything was great for a month or 2, not anymore. I've been told that the intrusive, repetitive thoughts are part of OCD and not schizophrenia. However, I'm wondering if I have schizophrenia anyway since the thoughts are related to my daily activities. Has anyone heard of intrusive thoughts being linked to schizophrenia? If so, would a different antipsychotic be more effective? To complicate things, I am a slow metabolizer. Geodon knocked me out for 18 hours! A prior doctor put me on perphenazine after that because he found an article showing the same problem in someone else, and success with perphenazine. I found an article that stated that perphenazine is metabolized by three enzymes while Geodon is metabolized by one. Unfortunately I don't have those articles now. The downside to perphenazine is that it made me depressed at high doses. I tried risperdal, but It made me anxious. I'm willing to try anything again as long as I'm not asleep for 18 hours. Any ideas?

Hi there, I was just wondering if anyone here has tried Rexulti as an AD adjunct for depression. Please tell me what you thought of it, I know it's very similar to Abilify, but surprisingly Rexulti under my insurance + the manufacturer discount card is cheaper than generic Abilify, so I want to get familiar with it. I have only had one true experience with an AAP, Seroquel, and it was actually really nice but it made me sleep like a rock, so I got off it years ago. I'm not switching to Rexulti at the moment, but my psych let me know it's the next option if Wellbutrin doesn't work out. Again, let me know your experiences with it, and I guess Abilify too since they are similar. The thought of being on an AAP scares me, with all the side effects and such, especially for depression. But I have read Rexulti and Abilify both have "pro-cognitive" effects which is exactly what I need. Also, has it helped with your anxiety at all? Do AAPs generally help with anxiety? Because if I'd be able to get off Klonopin that would be a plus. Thank you all for any replies!

Just wondering if anyone out there has had any experiences with the medication Rexulti (brexpiprazole)? My psychiatrist chose to give this a try (2mg) after evaluating and attempting to treat my persistent manic symptoms -- I would go days without sleeping and not feel tired, racing ideas and thoughts, increased in "goal-directed" activity like cleaning the kitchen for hours and sexual promiscuity, inflated self-esteem, inattention or inability to focus, pressured speech, rapid talking, and hyperactivity. Seroquel is super effective for stopping my mania but the negative cognitive effect and zombification I experienced were too much, and this was only at 50-100mg If you have tried Rexulti please share your experiences with it in terms of treating your symptoms of bipolar disorder, whether or not it worked for you, side effects you experiences, and the main symptoms that resulted in you trying this medication. So far it has been about a week on Rexulti 2mg, and I am beginning to notice a slight increased in motivation and better time-management, which really surprised me given my past experiences with AAPs. This could be due to other medication, as my dexedrine dose has increased from 40mg to 60mg, but I have been on this high of a dose in the past and not noticed the increased thought organization and motivation to complete tasks/assignments before the last minute. It hasn't directly induced sleep as Seroquel did, but I do notice I am getting on a better schedule. Also, if you have not tried Rexulti but have been on Abilify (aripiprazole), I would be happy to hear your experiences as well, given that the two are similar in structure and chemical composition (I acknowledge that despite this, the two can still have very different and distinct effects).

Hi guys, ive been on inVega sustenna for three months and my side effects are terrible on this drug. Blanking out, bad memory, lack of creativity, bad focus, slow mind and worse of all, anhedonia. Both sexual and emotional alike. It’s been three months and these things still have not lifted. I know it’s not my illness because my schizophrenia gives me heightened emotions and gets me high, and these side effects all started for the first time since I took the drug. Maintena is coming out in my country this December and I was thinking of asking my pdoc to switch to it. I heard that abilify can cause blurred vision and if you’re unlucky td, I’m scared of this. I’ve taken abilify tablet form before for around a week to a month or so at five milligrams, and didn’t get blurred vision or td, would anything change with the injection form? And also what is your experience on this drugs injection form? Regards.

Not sure where else to put this one, but I took my Abilify from 15mg to 2x15mg per day a week ago. I just got back from my appointment with my pdoc (finally) and was half surprised that she didn't chew me out. That's the first *positive* med change I've made for myself in... ever? I left the rest of my cocktail alone, but maybe I should note that my Wellbutrin dose is only at 300mg instead of 450mg... that one's either the last pdoc's fault or Medicare's fault. Everything else stayed the same. New pdoc is trying to work that out also. I'm going to stick with it for a while this time. I might miss one dose a day, but missing both is less likely, and maxing out my Abilify dosage right now seems to be helping. Since making the change a week ago, I've finally left my since-February mania and sidestepped a growing delusion / paranoia break. So I think after paying attention to the various pdocs over the last decade, I might have done something right. *gasp*

I will make this as to the point as possible. First time ever posting on blogs, Hoping this place can aid decisions along with psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with Depression, Anxiety, and Adhd at age 14. (22yo now) My depression has gone from moderate to bad, to severe over the years. This is not the suicidal, crying every night type of depression. This is a (Complete Lack of motivation, energy, drive, initiation,) type of depression. I oversleep and when i wake up, my life is just grey, and uninteresting. Doing anything takes sooooo much fuckin effort. I litterally cannot hold a job, or do any simple tasks. Life is Overwhelming. Past medications include, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, cymbalta, remeron, strattera, are the main ones, with little to no benefit, however strattera had the biggest impact on my energy, depression, and motivation. The issue with strattera is that the burst of motivation did not last long. An increase of Strattera equalled 3 weeks of Motivation Boost, followed by nothing (as if i never took the medication.) Had a genetic test done that shows i might react better to SNRI's rather than SSRI's. Because of my report of Strattera, my doc now Prescribed Fetzima (Works more on norepinephrine neurotransmitter). I might have Treatment Resistant Depression so he augmented Fetzima with Abilify (2mg), in hopes of them enhancing Each other. 3 months on fetzima, (now max dose of 120mg) i noticed very Minor changes. Which could indicate my TRD. Well i Indicated my depression has not improved much so he increased abilify to 4mg. Second day on 4mg and i feel as though its making my Energy and Depression Worse. I really want to stop taking abilify, however i might take it a couple more days to test it out. Here is my Main Question. Are there any atypical antipsychotics that do not cause any sedation, or one that causes the least amount of sedation compared to others? That is basically my only question actually. Feel free to chime in on how Fetzima has worked out for you, and if you have TRD, and have found the right combo that helps you. Thank You Guys!

I wish I had never been placed on it adjunctively for depression/anxiety. I was first embarrassed because it is classified as an antipsychotic. I was on the lowest dose for a few months. I gain about 15 pounds. I haven't been able to return to my pre-abilify weight. So frustrating.

I've been on Abilify for about a year and a half now. It has been the best AAP for me as far as mood stability and help with bipolar depression goes. But I have this nagging suspicion that it has really screwed up my cholesterol... Before I went on it, my cholesterol was fine, but not long thereafter, my cholesterol was a little messed up... I started it in August of 2017 and by October of 2017, my cholesterol was as follows: Total cholesterol: 187 mg/dL (10-199 mg/dL) HDL-C: 10 mg/dL (30-72 mg/dL) LDL-C: 129 mg/dL (0-128 mg/dL) Triglycerides: 220 mg/dL (40-160 mg/dL) vLDL-C: 44 mg/dL (5-40 mg/dL) Chol/HDL ratio: 18.70 (0.00-5.00) It wasn't terrible, I guess, as they didn't put me on a statin at the time. They just said "lose weight and diet," which I was already doing both of at the time. I just made it a point to do it more. I went to the gym and exercised, but I eventually fell out of doing that. Fast forward to last month, I had my testosterone checked because of various reasons (mostly depression, inability to lose weight, what appears to be gynecomastia), and while my testosterone is okay (which it has been low and they've said it's okay before... I have yet to get a copy of the blood test results), they said that my LDL cholesterol was "very high" and my HDL cholesterol was "very low" (I assume it hasn't budged from 10...) and that my doctor wanted to put me on Lipitor 20 mg. So he called it in and I started taking it, hoping it will make a difference. I plan on getting a copy of my blood test results, like I said, and I do plan on going back to the gym. I don't know what I've been doing wrong, or if it's the Abilify. I'm eating right, or so I think I am... Has anyone had problems with dyslipidemia from Abilify? It's supposed to be metabolically friendly!

Hey there! I've been having a very difficult week. I've been on lexapro and klonopin for depression and anxiety for 3 years and the lexapro has plateaued in the last year or so, so my pdoc decided to put me on Abilify about a week ago and it has SUCKED. I'm not feeling any of the positive effects of the meds yet, which I understand because sometimes it takes a while. BUT i have been feeling a whole bunch of negatives. Theres a general brain slowness, like forming sentences and thoughts takes much longer than usual, like if my train of thought were a real train, there is now a huge parachute on the back slowing it down. The WORST side effect so far has been the derealization. I'm familiar with it as it is a side effect of my anxiety. I can't tell if it is a direct effect of the abilify or if the meds are causing more anxiety which is then causing derealization. The thing is, I haven't been feeling much more anxious than usual recently. It's like the derealization comes over me first and then the anxiety follows. Has anyone experienced this on Abilify? If so, did it go away eventually? Did you switch meds? Nothing seems real and I'm getting very very tired of it.

I started Abilify 2mg on Monday to try as an adjunct treatment to Wellbutrin XL 450mg. Since Monday night, I have had a headache that has not stopped, although it seems to be at it's worst maybe 6-10 hours after I've taken my meds. It only occurred to me today that my headache might be a side effect of Abilify and I wanted to hear if anyone had similar experiences or not, and if you did if it cleared up or not Edit to add: I've also been experiencing intense nausea, with fits of gagging and retching and I did throw up a little on Tuesday night, and a complete lack of appetite as well the last few days.

Which makes you feel more flat? Antipsychotics or lithium?

About to go off abilify. Went from 2.5 mg - 1.25 mg 5 days ago. since yesterday anxiety, agitation and akathisia has gone through the roof. My intire body tingles, burns etc. And it feels like i’m about to explode. Just can’t relax. I was only on the drug for 4 weeks. Any ideas how long this is going to last?? And has anyone experienced this as well? damn you drugs.. Amiright

Hi guys! I’m new to this forum, so this will be my first post. I’ve found a lot of comfort reading about all of your experiences. Thank you for that! I recently started taking abilify to control my hypomania. Started on 1.25 mg for a week, and I’ve been on 2.5 mg for little over a week now. I am extremely sensitive to medication - especially the ones acting on dopamine. I probably won’t be able to get above 2.5 mg - maybe 5 mg if I’m lucky. If abilify doesn’t work, Lithium will be next. My problem is... Abilify is making me hypomanic. 1.25 mg made me hypomanic for about 4 days, then it stopped. Since upping my dosage to 2.5 mg I have been hypomanic, and it doesn’t seem to end anytime soon. It’s uncomfortable activating for me. I have read about some similar experiences, BUT I haven’t read about anyone having this reaction, and then actually found relief from hypomania/mania afterwards - staying on the same low dosage. I’m really desperate, since I’ve pretty much tried everything else and do not want to end up on lithium. Let me know what you think! :-))) Sarah / Denmark

My husband takes 1200 mg lithium carbonate, abilify, Xanax, antidepressants, three blood pressure meds, and few others for acid reflux and he drinks alcohol. Over the counter sleep aids too. He was smoking marijuana every 2-3 hours before starting the abilify. I have filed for a divorce and he stopped smoking because I am fight for custody of my son. He is manic, bipolar and I think possibly schizophrenic. I have been reading the side effects of these drugs and wonder if anyone else has taken this type if cocktail and what their experience has been. The last time I saw him he was shaking and look “wild eyed” and was red faced (flushed). Is it likely that at the level of his meds is he walking around in a “fog” and with this regiment how long until his health is affected? He has been on blood pressure meds for 16 years, a history of 5 years on lortab, followed by a 3 year history of suboxone use and Seroquel he has been on Xanax for 10+ years alcohol addiction 20 years with varying degrees of use what is his mental state likely to be with this many drugs? he insists he does not have a problem please help me understand his mind and what is the most likely state he is in

Hi all - My doc recently put me on Abilify - started at .5 mg gradually up to maintenance dose of 5 mg. I've been on it for about 2 weeks and am not having any troubles tolerating the medication except that I am hyper as all hell, which, having suffered from depression and the accompanying bone-crushing fatique for so long, doesn't really seem like a problem for me. I'm just wondering if this is going to be a permanent thing or if it's just me getting used to the medication. Has anyone else had this experience? I literally cannot sit still - forget watching anything on tv that lasts longer than 15 minutes. Again - not complaining, just wondering. Thanks!

How can those of you who have been on Rexulti or Abilify the experience of akathisia? I think I am experiencing it as I cannot sit down not even for a minute without getting up and going to the other side of the room to get a cup and then walk around my house, as it almost feels uncomfortable to sit still unless I take my as prescribed xanax dose and valium together. Ambien helps with the restlessness at night obviously because it works well for my insomnia. If you've been on other atypical anti-psychotics I would love to hear about if you have experienced or are having akathisia and please tell me more about how this symptom makes you feel and how it affects your lives. Because I feel like it is affecting my ability to do anything for a sustained period of time. Should also mention that I didn't have my ADHD medication for the last 2 weeks so might have been a small factor in the equation. Anyhow 1 any experiences with akathisia 2 how did you deal with it or treat it 3 how long did it last for? did it stop when you discontinued the drug? etcetera. 4 how you would best describe it and how it felt for you, what it made you feel like you had to do or that you did or do? 5 what medication and what dosages were you on? Had you recently changed medications or dosages? etcetera Thanks everyone!!! Can't wait to see the post and read other's experiences as well as sharing mine!

If you are taking either of these medications and are experiencing suicidal feelings, I want you to hold on, and tell yourself it is the medication and not you. Hold on: you have a precious human life - taper gradually off the drugs, and find other ways of dealing with the symptoms for which the medication was prescribed. After my experience with the world of psychiatry, I have this to say: if you can find a way of functioning without antipsychotics, then don't be pressurised into taking those medications. I found in my case that even when I was largely functional, and not suffering too much, there was some zeal on the part of the psychiatric profession in trying to push antipsychotics at me, simply by virtue of the diagnosis. The diagnosis was an episode of psychosis, or with psychotic elements, and therefore antipsychotics were strongly recommended. This was even after I was experiencing these strong suicidal feelings which were so uncharacteristic of me, and which I hadn't been experiencing before taking the drugs. I decided to try an extremely low dose of Abilify - less than the so-called "effective minimum dose", since I found it hard to function on the dose originally prescribed (something which the prescribing psychiatrist didn't really accept.) On this "below minimum" dose of Abilify, I started to experience strong agitation - one of the side-effects. Therefore I doubled my dose of Clonazepam. As a result, I became very tired - my energy levels plummeted, and I found myself having to limit my sporting activity to about a third of previous levels. My walking became relatively slow. I started to develop symptoms associated with schizophrenia which I hadn't had previously: less mobility in my facial expressions, it started to be a struggle to look after myself, to clean my home, to go shopping - though I forced myself through it all. I started to go to bed early because of extreme tiredness, and stopped going out in the evening, and as a result became socially isolated, and felt myself spiral into a depression. Weeks before becoming depressed, I already started to experience suicidal feelings - disembodied: unlinked to depression. My depression was so severe that I found it hard to eat, and rather than gaining weight as is the tendency on this drug, I rapidly lost weight. I found it hard to write fluently - the drug seemed to affect my muscular ability, and lost my articulateness, finding it relatively hard to express myself (and as you can see, this is something I have no trouble doing without the antipsychotics!). I lost my creative ability, and was unable to engage in the activities that made my life meaningful. These also contributed to my spiralling downwards. Deep inside the depression, I lost interest in all the things that had made my life meaningful up to that time. Instead of accepting my view that the suicidal feelings and depression were linked to the drug Abilify, the psychiatrist described it as "the evolution of an illness". Another psychiatrist decided to transfer me instead to the antipsychotic Seroquel, even though it states in the contra-indications that this drug may intensify existing suicidal feelings, and surely enough, it intensified mine. Since (I presume) I was on such a low dose of Abilify, the psychiatrist didn't instruct me to taper Abilify, but simply to stop it, and start Seroquel. I was taking half a tablet with the minimum dosage. Since I didn't like feeling suicidal, and I guess I didn't want to end up going that way, I decided I wanted to discontinue the antipsychotic medication. I was told that I could simply stop taking the medication: I suppose it wasn't felt necessary to advise me to taper the medication as it was below the minimum effective dose as recognized by the psychiatrists. (As a result of my experience, I would advise anyone to taper when coming off an antipsychotic - however small the dose. If, like me, you are taking half a tablet a day, you could then take it every other day for a while, and then every third day, etc.) I started to experience almost total insomnia which lasted about 6 weeks. At every stage, it was not acknowledged by psychiatrists that the manifestations I was experiencing were caused by medication, or withdrawal from it. Thus, the insomnia was attributed to my depression, rather than to withdrawal from the medication. It was on the internet that I was able to learn that chronic insomnia is a withdrawal effect from Abilify and Seroquel, and since I had only taken Seroquel for a few days while still having Abilify in my system, I must have been withdrawing from both. I was prescribed the highest dose of the sleeping medication Zopiclone (Zimovane) intensified by an extra Clonazepam tablet at night; this provided me with about two hours of sleep a night. While affected by this insomnia, I was still experiencing suicidal feelings, and would be lying awake almost the whole night thinking of the pros and cons of various ways of killing myself. After about 5 or 6 weeks, with the antipsychotics out of my system, the insomnia ended, and by this time, I had started taking an antidepressant, and my suicidal feelings subsided. By now I have come off all medication - including the antidepressant: Citalopram, since it was affecting my memory. If I feel the need, I take the very occasional half a tablet of Clonazepam. I firmly believe, following my experience, that a proportion of psychiatric patients are being misdiagnosed based on the manifestations of the side effects of antipsychotic medication, and the expression of beliefs which have nothing to do with brain chemistry. I further believe that for all the lives that may be saved as a result of the administration of antipsychotics, there is a significant proportion of patients who commit suicide not because of their illness, but because of the side effects of medication which they may be unnecessarily or inappropriately prescribed. These numbers then get lumped together with the numbers who commit suicide as a result of their illness, and is used as further evidence that suicidal action or attempts are symptoms of psychotic illnesses. If you are feeling suicidal, you will not believe that your life is precious. But hold on - because it is.

Does anyone use Abilify as their primary stabiliser? Does it keep you stable without needing additional stabilising meds? Does anyone use another AAP as a primary stabiliser/on its own for BP? What do you guys think of this strategy? I want to go off lithium. Lamictal is not enough to keep the mania at bay. I'm wondering if Abilify could replace lithium as the anti mania stabiliser? I know it is approved for acute mania, but not as a maintenance treatment to prevent further episodes AFAIK.