Bipolar Disorder Treatment Medications Using Abilify for Treatment of Bipolar Disorder By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial process Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on April 25, 2020 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on April 25, 2020 Print Eric Audras / ONOKY / Getty Images Abilify, known by the generic name aripiprazole, is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is approved to treat a number of disorders, including bipolar disorder. It's specifically used to treat manic and mixed episodes in bipolar disorder, either alone or in combination with other anti-manic medications. Let's gain some insight into Abilify, like what health conditions it's used to treat, side effects, and two black box warnings. This way you feel informed if prescribed this medication. What Is Abilify Used to Treat? Abilify is FDA approved to treat the following health conditions: Schizophrenia in people age 13 or olderBipolar I disorder in people age 10 years or olderMajor depressive disorder in adults—used in combination with another antidepressant when a person does not respond to that single antidepressantAgitation associated with schizophrenia or bipolar maniaAgitation associated with autism disorder in children ages six to 17Tourette syndrome in children and adolescents, age six and older Common Side Effects In adults, common side effects include nausea, constipation, headache, dizziness, akathisia, anxiety, fatigue, blurred vision, and insomnia. Side effects in children are similar, with the addition of nose congestion, drooling, and an increased appetite. Potential Serious Side Effects Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome: A potentially fatal complication of taking antipsychotic medications characterized by a number of symptoms like high fever, rigid muscles, and rapid swings in blood pressureIncrease in blood sugarChange in cholesterol levelsWeight GainTardive Dyskinesia: A disorder that causes uncontrolled facial and other movementsOrthostatic hypotension: Feeling lightheaded when moving from a lying or sitting position to a standing position too quickly, due to a drop in blood pressureSeizuresDifficulty Swallowing Helpful Tips When Taking Abilify Never stop taking Abilify or change its dosage without first consulting with your healthcare providerBe sure to notify your doctor of all your medications, as your dose of Abilify may need to be changed based on this information. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking Abilify.Avoid overheating and dehydration while on AbilifyAbilify may also pass into breast milk, so be sure to discuss your therapy plan if breastfeeding or planning on breastfeeding. Abilify was previously listed as a Pregnancy Category C drug, meaning that animal studies suggest Abilify may cause birth defects. The FDA recently amended their pregnancy labeling for prescription drugs so the categories are being phased out. The current system requires prescription labeling to summarize risk in order to allow healthcare providers to make prescribing decisions and to advise women about the use of the drug during pregnancy. Speak to your doctor right away if you are planning on getting pregnant or are pregnant. Two Black Box Warnings on Abilify Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients With Dementia-Related Psychosis: Abilify is not approved by the FDA to treat people with dementia-related psychosis, although it is sometimes used for this purpose. Treating elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis with an antipsychotic medication puts them at a somewhat increased risk of death.Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs: Although no technically an antidepressant, Abilify carries the standard warning that antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with racing thoughts? Always feeling tired? Our guide offers strategies to help you or your loved one live better with bipolar disorder. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Brown R, Taylor MJ, & Geddes J. Aripiprazole alone or in combination for acute mania. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Dec 17;12:CD005000. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005000.pub2 FDA . Medication Guide: Abilify. FDA. Pregnancy and lactation labeling (drugs) final rule. Updated March 2, 2020.