I am taking a big test next week and I am considering taking a psychiatric drug like Abilify to increase my focus and concentration. I am not mentally ill and I do not want to change my current brain function/chemistry.
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Q: Can taking Abilify harm a persons' brain/mental chemistry if taken by a healthy person?
Answers (4)
5/22/08 9:54pm
Hello Dave Holcomb,
I see no reason for a person to take Abilify unless a psychiatrist or other professional prescribed it to treat a mental illness.
Regards,
Chri
5/22/08 11:02pm
Dave:
I urge you in the strongest terms NOT to take Abilify, or any other neuroleptic, in a effort to improve your test scores. I do not make this recommendation because of any personal experience I have had, or data in my possession, that would indicate potential problems with Abilify. By the same token, I do not make this recommendation lightly.
I DO KNOW from over fifty years experience taking medications like Abilify to treat my own illness (schizophrenia) that all neuroleptics are extraordinarily powerful medications and should only be taken under close supervision by a psychiatrist. And from my own experince, I do not believe that any of these medications, including those targeted for the treatment of any of mental illnesses, will have the effect you are seeking. In fact, such medications could have precisely the opposite effect in the short run.
I am very glad that you asked us about this before you tried and not after!
If you have any other questions of any kind, please write us again.
Robin
5/24/08 8:06pm
Absolutely not! You cannot imagine how awful you could end up feeling, not needing the medication. In case you need more dissuading, here is a list of potential side effects you run the risk of experiencing instead of a benefit there's no reason to expect. If you do not want to change your current brain function and chemistry, I would strongly urge you NOT to take Abilify, which is intended to do precisely that. Remember that it works on Dopamine, Serotonin and Histamine receptors and is not a harmless or impotent medication. I would never take it if I didn't need to...
Some other common side effects with Abilify (occurring in 2 percent to 10 percent of people) included:
7/17/08 12:33am
Abilify regulates no compound in the brain which would be associated with improved memory or concentration. As a matter of fact, abilify has been shown to decrease the size of the frontal lobe with extended use. some test taking suggestions: Vitamin C--elevated blood levels of vitamin c have been correlated with increases in IQ. Choline, phosphotydilserine and peracetam in combination. Piracetam is the first nootropic discovered and has zero side effects. a very small quantitiy of caffeine (like half a cup of coffee about fifteen minutes before the test. And if you are into the pharma stuff, what I don't recomend is ephidrine or pseudoephidrine in conjunction with a xanax. heck, take them all, you'll still be better off than taking abilify. Actually I only condone the vitamin c piracetam and choline phosphotydelserine combo. Best of luck on your test.
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I have taken some medications whose side effects completely subsided after a month--once my body adjusted to them.
I had double vision, dizziness, and disorientation on Klonopin, for example, for a month--and I no longer have any of these.
Do you know this to be the case with Abilify?