Key takeaways

  • Abilify, used for certain mental health conditions and behaviors, can cause both mild and serious side effects. These side effects can vary depending on which condition the drug is being used to treat.
  • Some more common side effects include headache, nausea, and feeling restless, though individual experiences may vary. Less common ones include sexual side effects and weight gain.
  • While many Abilify side effects are temporary, some long-term effects, like changes in metabolism leading to high cholesterol, can occur and require medical management.

Abilify (aripiprazole) is a brand-name oral tablet prescribed for certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, and other conditions. Abilify belongs to a drug class called atypical antipsychotics. The drug is available in a generic version.

The side effects you experience may vary depending on the condition being treated. If you have problems with side effects from Abilify medication, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can discuss ways to manage side effects or other available treatment options. Do not stop taking Abilify without consulting your doctor first.

Abilify has boxed warnings. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For details, see the “Boxed warnings for Abilify” section.

Comparing Abilify, Abilify Maintena, and Abilify Mycite

Abilify, Abilify Maintena, and Abilify Mycite are brand-name drugs that contain the active ingredient aripiprazole.

Abilify Maintena is given as an intramuscular injection every 30 days. It contains an extended-release version of Abilify, which means it slowly releases aripiprazole over time.

Abilify Mycite, which is no longer available, is an oral tablet that has a sensor to track when you take your dose.

This article focuses on the potential side effects of Abilify oral tablets. To learn about the side effects of the injection form, read this article about Abilify Maintena side effects.

Abilify can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. The side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if they persist, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

These are just a few of the more common side effects that adults who took Abilify in clinical studies reported:

Mild side effects can occur with Abilify use. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Abilify’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with adults taking Abilify include:

  • sexual side effects
  • weight gain
  • memory loss
  • sleep-related side effects
  • feeling sleepy
  • anxiety
  • akathisia
  • nausea and vomiting
  • constipation
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • blurred vision

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if they continue, worsen, or become difficult to tolerate, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

For more information about some of these side effects, see the “Managing side effects” section.

Note: After the FDA approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medications safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while taking Abilify and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.

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Abilify may cause serious side effects. The following list may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Abilify’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while taking Abilify, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:

Abilify has two boxed warnings. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Increased risk of death in older adults with psychosis due to dementia

Abilify belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics. If these drugs are used to treat psychosis caused by dementia in older adults, they can, in some cases, increase the risk of death. Due to this risk, doctors typically will not prescribe Abilify to treat psychosis related to dementia in adults ages 65 years and older.

With psychosis, you lose touch with reality and may have hallucinations. With dementia, you have problems with communication, thinking, and memory.

If you or a loved one is an older adult with psychosis due to dementia, talk with your doctor. They can recommend a treatment other than Abilify.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people younger than age 24 years

Like other antidepressant drugs, Abilify may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children as well as young adults ages 18 to 24 years. It’s important to note that Abilify is not approved to treat depression in people ages 18 years and younger.

However, Abilify is approved to treat other conditions in children.

What you can do

Although the boxed warning about suicidal thoughts and behaviors refers to certain ages, you should monitor yourself for these symptoms however old you are. You should also ask family and friends to help monitor you for any symptoms of suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

Symptoms to watch for while taking Abilify include certain changes to your mood or behavior, such as increased or unusual:

Help is out there

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

  • Call or text the 988 Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Caring counselors are available to listen and provide free and confidential support 24/7.
  • Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor for free and confidential support 24/7.
  • Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
  • Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.

If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.

If you’re not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.

Abilify has a boxed warning about the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people younger than age 24 years. For details, see the “Boxed warnings for Abilify” section.

The side effects of Abilify in children can vary depending on which condition they’re taking the drug to treat.

Some of the more common side effects reported by children who took Abilify in clinical studies included:

Mild side effects that have been reported in children taking Abilify include:

  • weight gain
  • sleep-related side effects
  • feeling sleepy
  • headache
  • nausea or vomiting
  • fatigue
  • increased or decreased appetite
  • drooling or making more saliva than usual
  • stuffy nose
  • restlessness
  • tremor
  • muscle stiffness

For more information about some of these side effects, see “Managing side effects.”

Serious side effects reported in children are the same as those reported in adults. For more information, see the “Serious side effects of Abilify” section.

Most of the side effects that Abilify may cause are temporary, lasting a few days to weeks.

However, Abilify can cause some side effects that are long term.

Long-term side effects

Abilify’s long-term side effects start during treatment and can include changes in your metabolism. These changes can cause conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, which usually last long term and require medication.

To learn more about these long-term side effects, see the “Managing side effects” section.

If you have Abilify side effects that last longer than a few weeks, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Learn more about some of the side effects that Abilify may cause.

Sexual side effects

Some adults taking Abilify in clinical studies have reported sexual side effects. These side effects included:

Sexual side effects were rare. Erectile dysfunction and priapism were extremely rare.

Talk with your doctor if you have sexual side effects while taking Abilify. If you have sexual urges, it’s important to tell them as soon as possible. In some cases, these urges can cause harm to yourself or others. To help stop the urges, your doctor may decrease your Abilify dose or switch you to a different treatment.

If you develop priapism, get emergency medical help right away by calling your local emergency number or going to your closest emergency room.

Weight gain

It’s possible to experience weight gain with Abilify treatment. In clinical studies, this side effect was common in adults and children.

If you gain weight while taking Abilify and it bothers you, talk with your doctor. They can recommend ways to help you reach or maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.

Memory loss

Memory loss is a possible side effect of Abilify, but it was rare in people who took the medication in clinical studies.

Talk with your doctor if you have memory loss while taking Abilify. They’ll likely recommend that you stop taking the drug. They can also recommend other treatments for your condition.

Sleep-related side effects

People who took Abilify in clinical studies reported sleep-related side effects such as insomnia. Insomnia was one of the most common side effects reported in both adults and children taking Abilify in these studies.

Sleep talking was a very rare side effect in a few children who took Abilify in these studies.

Keep in mind that you may also have trouble falling asleep due to another side effect of Abilify called akathisia. The term akathisia refers to feeling restless and unable to keep your legs still.

For most people, insomnia is a temporary side effect of Abilify, lasting a few days to weeks. It may be helpful to work on your sleep hygiene, which is a set of habits that encourage quality sleep.

If sleep-related side effects don’t go away or become severe, talk with your doctor. They can help determine the cause of your symptoms and recommend ways to ease them.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, Abilify can cause an allergic reaction in some people. But this side effect was rare in clinical studies.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your lips, eyelids, feet, or hands
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you should keep taking Abilify.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Abilify (aripiprazole), your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the drug’s side effects.

Are any side effects specific to the 5-mg or 30-mg strengths of Abilify?

No side effects are known to be specific to any dose or strength of Abilify. Researchers in clinical studies didn’t compare side effects across different doses or strengths.

However, they did note that some side effects occurred more often with higher doses, such as the 30-milligram (mg) dose. These side effects included:

  • sleepiness in adults
  • sleepiness and tremor in children

If you have other questions about Abilify’s side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can stopping Abilify treatment cause side effects of withdrawal?

It’s uncertain whether stopping treatment with Abilify will cause withdrawal side effects. Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that can occur when you stop taking a drug that your body has become used to.

Withdrawal symptoms were observed when animals were no longer given Abilify in animal studies. But the effects of stopping Abilify treatment haven’t been studied in people. Animal studies don’t always predict what will happen in humans.

There was one published case report about a person who suddenly stopped taking Abilify and reported withdrawal symptoms. It’s not known how common withdrawal symptoms may be in other people.

Do not stop taking Abilify without speaking with your doctor first. If you’d like to stop taking the medication, your doctor may lower your dosage slowly over time. Read more about withdrawal and Abilify.

Is weight loss a side effect of Abilify?

No, weight loss isn’t a known side effect of Abilify. Weight loss wasn’t reported by people who took the drug in clinical studies.

But Abilify is known to cause weight gain as a side effect. To learn more, see the “Managing side effects” section.

Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your weight while taking Abilify. They can recommend ways to help you reach or maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.

Consider the following important information before taking Abilify.

Boxed warnings

Abilify has boxed warnings. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. For details, see “Boxed warnings for Abilify.”

Other precautions

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Abilify. This drug may not be the right treatment for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. The conditions and factors to consider include:

It may be possible to misuse Abilify, but the risk for this wasn’t reported in clinical studies. The term misuse means taking a drug in a different way than how your doctor prescribed it.

You can decrease your risk for misuse by taking Abilify exactly as your doctor advises.

If you have experienced drug misuse, your doctor will likely monitor you more often than usual during your Abilify treatment. Or they may recommend a different medication.

If you have questions or are concerned about misuse with Abilify, talk with your doctor.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.