Abilify (Aripiprazole): online prescription management for depression, bipolar disorder, & schizophrenia

With Talkspace Psychiatry, the first step toward getting help is to complete a brief assessment. Once you’re matched with a psychiatric clinician from Talkspace, you’ll have a live video session where you can share how you’ve been feeling. From there, your psychiatrist will  prescribe a treatment plan — if that includes a prescription (such as Abilify), you can then have it filled at a local pharmacy.

Abilify (Aripiprazole) is taken in different forms, dosages, and frequency, depending on your mental health condition and the treatment plan prescribed by your provider. You can either take this medication regularly in a tablet form or less frequently with an injection. Abilify tablets are usually taken once a day with or without food.

Depending on the dose, injections are usually given once a month, every six weeks, or every two months. Typically, individuals begin with a low dose of medication and then increase it gradually. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can, unless it is closer to your next dose — never double your doses. If you missed an injection, notify your health care provider right away. Use a reminder system like an alarm, pillbox, or calendar alert to help you remember to take your medication. You can even ask a family member or friend to help hold you accountable.

It’s important to take Abilify and its generic form, Aripiprazole, exactly as prescribed by your clinician. Side effects of Abilify are often mild, but can include headache, dizziness, nervousness, drowsiness, restlessness, weight changes, insomnia, fatigue, and more. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience hives, rash, swelling, itching, difficulty breathing, seizures, dry mouth, muscle aches, loss of coordination, or vision changes.

Abilify works by balancing the levels of dopamine and serotonin in your body. This should help improve your mood, thinking, and behavior. It should help balance your mood and prevent or reduce instances of mania in bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Abilify is indicated to treat schizophrenia, manic episodes of bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and some other conditions based on your doctor’s recommendations. 

Yes, Abilify is used as a mood stabilizer. It is labeled as a second generation antipsychotic and is used in mood disorder treatment. This medication helps prevent extreme mood highs (mania) and lows (depression), helps you think more clearly, feel better about yourself, feel less nervous, and get more involved in everyday life. 

Some of the most common side effects of Abilify include restlessness, weight gain, blurred vision, and dry mouth. Many symptoms will go away as time progresses and your body adjusts to the medication.

Symptoms may improve in the first 1-2 weeks of taking Abilify, but symptoms continue to get better the longer you take the medication. It might take 1-2 months before reaching the full benefit of Abilify. Keep in mind that it’s important to update your doctor regularly about your symptoms in the first few weeks of taking Abilify. Together, you will be able to decide if Abilify is the right medication for you. 

There are several different medications your psychiatrist may prescribe for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. 

Other medications for schizophrenia include:

• Latuda (Lurasidone)
• Zyprexa
• Depakote

Other medications for bipolar disorder include:

• Zyprexa (Olanzapine)
• Lithium
• Lamictal (Lamotrigine)
• Depakote (divalproex sodium)
• Seroquel (Quetiapine)
• Topamax (Topiramate)
• Latuda (Lurasidone)