Abilify, Other Antipsychotics, and Meds in General

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Has anyone ever taken Abilify?

Has anyone taken an antipsychotic?

I am being forced against my wishes to take the above starting end of the week. My parents and I have fought over this issue for three months and they are putting their foot down and forcing me. I am scared to death. I can't stand the idea of not having control over my body. I am terrified of side effects. I am terrified of my personality or ability to cope changing. I do not deal well at all with feeling ill physically and am afraid medicine will make me feel ill.

If anyone has any experiences with the above they would be greatly appreciated, the good bad and ugly, the details

Do you guys think that most ASD people are medicated? I would say that is not my perception but I am wondering if I am right

I know I have issues, substantial ones, but I have been able to work around them for most of my life and dont see why I have to change now, I am having problems due to where I am living now but I feel that is mostly environmental and my parents do not agree. I am 22.

Thanks so much

Kate

This might seem like a stupid idea, but maybe its worth a try.

Write down a list of the most strongly held opinions you have.

After being on the meds for a while, you read this list. And then you read the note at the end which reminds you that if you don’t still agree with these opinions, then something has happened. If the meds just calm you down, then that’s ok.

Seems like a paranoid idea, but its that or where a tin-foil hat to stop the government reading your thoughts.

http://www.apana.org.uk/

A few of my experiences are written down on that site.

When I was 19 I got on SSI and got away from all the people who were giving me those drugs and stuff, and away from living situations that were causing me problems. I had a lot of problems when I moved out, a LOT, but it was worth it.

You certainly have my sympathy - it must be really scary to be told you must take medications that you don't want to. Have they told you why? I would guess there are some behaviors that they believe you cannot adequately control, and you need some support. Have they given you examples of what they see as the problem? Have you tried other methods of changing behaviors, or improving upon whatever they think the problem is?
Personally, I have very mixed feelings about meds. HOWEVER - I have seen them used very effectively, to very positive ends, in about a dozen people, some with AS, others with other issues. I reluctantly put my son on meds years ago for depression and impulse control, and I do think it was the right decision. BUT I have always told him what we were doing and why. Now that he's almost an adult, he understands that this is his decision to make.
My recommendation is that you learn as much as possible about your nature and your condition and different ways of treating it. Perhaps you can suggest alternatives to the meds. If this is a last resort, it may be worth a try. Find out what's the smallest dosage you can take, and try that. Most meds you can get in liquid form, and start with a tiny amount. It's a tough call, so be sure everyone is considering all alternatives.

If there's people trying to use force, that's a warning sign that something's seriously not right, and I don't mean with the person that the force is being used against.

If you ever need help resisting this, there's an international group that can help you:

http://www.mindfreedom.intenex.net/shield/

They'll provide more than sympathy. If you want it. They, unlike forced drugging, are totally voluntary in nature.

Last edited by anbuend on 26 Jul 2006, 11:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

I have never taken Abilify, but I do know from one of my phychiatrists that you can gain weight. That's all I know about Abilify, but I hope this helps you a little bit.

The doctor who diagnosed me with AS, thought that any drugs would have a counter-effect on me. I think the doctor just wanted me to go ahead and see how my life would be in knowing that I have AS, and see how I could handle things. After that, I did have some problems handling myself, and I did get into a lot of issues with the school.

But I have never taken medication, save for the new anti-depressant (one that cannot cause weight-gain,) but I don't take that anymore, because I felt that it was turning me into someone I wasn't. Just cannot describe it with words, but it made me feel weird sometimes.

If you are being made to take medications that you don't want to, talk it over with a doctor and explain your point of view the best you can. Sometimes medication can't help, and the road to having a happy life is made by our own effort alone.

I use an antipsychotic drug called Prochlorperazine if I have to go to something like a family event or anywhere I will be with lots of people, I have found it very helpful and I am now able to do things and go to places I could not before, as I would feel faint, sweat, be sick, get diarrhoea, etc, I think it is becauce Prochlorperazine works as an anti-anxiety drug as well as a antipsychotic one.
I don't you should me made to take an antipsychotic drug if you don't want to, unless it is to stop you harming yourself or others.
Abilify is mainly used for its antipsychotic effects, have you been told that you may suffer from psychosis or a schizo-affective disorder?

Thanks for all your replies

they want me to take it mostly for sensory issues
i dont think it can help that but whatever
i have problems with smells, noise, the feels of things etc
they say i avoid a lot of things cus of that but i went to college
living oncampus for 3.5 yrs i found ways t o work around almost everything'
only one i cant woirk around is smells had to leave college cus of that
not my fault tho its a physical problem '

i worry a lot and obsess a lot and need lots of time for planning and transition
but agaibn for 20 yrs ive been able to work around thatso...
they dont like it tho'


to the first responder that is a great idea and exactly what i was planning to do today
before i even read that thanks

ill let you know how it goes....if i was desperate to avoid them i could
try to go with another family member or put up more of a fight but its not worth it
because emotionally they would cut me off and stop giving me any kind of support , im
compleyrely dependent on them unfortunatrely so its not worth it

Kate

I don't know what the exact situation is, but in the US (unless there's some special loophole where you live) your parents need a court order to "force" you to take psychiatric medication against your will. Even a doctor would need a court order, even if you were in a hospital by court order. By law, you are of age to legally decline medication, even if everyone around you thinks you need it. They would have to prove to the court that you are not fit to make decisions about your treatment. Even then, the court determines a "proxy" for you and that proxy alone makes the choice - it's not just whomever thinks they're right and shouts the loudest. It's the law, and what your parents are doing may border on illegal. You could actually sue them for harassment in a civil court, and possibly for other charges too, depending on what actions they are taking to force you (BTW, things like cutting you off finicially or telling you to move out doesn't count, but prolonged mental and emotional duress does).

well theyre not forcing me, theyre not ramming the pills down my throat, its just theyre kicking me out if i dont
my dad came home and had a tantrum over the fact that someone closed the door and window, a chair was in the wrong place, and i dared ask him to get me turkey while he was already out shopping (he had to go to a "whole extra store!") then he had a tantrum because in his eyes we already had enough turkey. my brother and i both eat a lot of it so it goes in like 2 days. i calmly told him that the turkey we had would have only had lasted till tomorrow, and I was trying to prevent having to make him go back to the store tomorrow. he became almost hysterical and cried out "but there was THREE QUARTERS OF A POUND THERE!! !" (2 sandwhiches, both my bro and I usually have one every day) He continued to raise his voice and yell about the turkey and I told him he was being ridiculous and to stop yelling and left (the first month or 2 i was home i would have started crying by now but by now ive gotten more used to his yelling and altho it makes me very hurt and pissed as hell i can see that its him that has a problem in these cases and not me and so it doesnt make me break down like i used to, it just makes me pissed).

A scene like this, which happens nearlyu every day or every other day, and IM the one who needs so badly to be medicated? Ha. The world sucks.

If I only had a way out. I know I dont have the capabilities that most people my age do
but I still have a lot left, I shouldnt be treated like this, I dfont know.

Kate

I haven't tried but I've heard that Abilify is a dopamine-agonist. If it is works, it maybe could have something like the effect of Ritalin, which is the greatest drug ever found (I do not mean overdoses or something silly).

ffanken

I am Bipolar, just recently diagnosed, non psychotic, but I have mixed states and rapid cycling. I am also an Aspie. I take Depakote for my bipolar disorder. It is a mood stabilizer. I also will be going back on Dexadrine twice a day for my ADHD. I would be horrified if my doctor gave me something to treat my autism spectrum symptoms unless I specifically asked for something to get me through.

How was the Abilify prescribed and what for? Were you taken to see a doctor? How the heck is this supposed to help you with a sense of smell?

Here is a site that is very helpful. http://www.crazymeds.org/

http://www.crazymeds.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

The site founder is an Aspie who is bipolar. He also has a seizure disorder.