What is the risk of Abilify's side effect?

Hi eScotty. You don't say why you worry about the onset of tardive dyskinesia (non necessarily drug-related) what SSRI you're on, or why your doctor would be prescribing either drug at any dosage. Even if you provided all these details there would be no absolute risk quantification - there are too many variables. However Abilify's interactions with other drugs are well-studied, so you probably want to start by investigating this list:

P.S. These studies - on the placebo effect of many drugs, not only antidepressants but also drugs (like opiates) known since antiquity to have very real effects (and side effects!), may help you see the importance of individual response. The only established truth in pharmacology is that any drug without side effects is also a drug without effects, so you and your doctor must weigh the risks on both sides. Good luck to you.

not trying to be a smart ass here, but i'd find irreversible muscle spasms very depressing

As the mother of a now adult child who thought anti-depressants were silver bullets and then had to work hard to get off psychotropic drugs, I feel

1.) anti-depressants are over sold;

2.) people fail to recognize that there is a difference between sadness and depression or discontent and depression;

3.) there are no silver bullets;

4.) this search for perfection from without is a fool's path.

I know that drug companies make up ailments and change the names of ailments that are minor nuisances at best and make them into full-blown catastrophes to push pills.

Certain factors increase the risk of developing Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)



Abilify is considered a second-generation atypical anti-psychotic drug. It was developed primarily for the treatment of schizophrenia. All anti-psychotic drugs increase the risk of TD, particularly at higher doses, or when taken for longer than six months. This risk is lower with the the second generation anti-psychotics, such as Abilify.


Prescribing Abilify as an adjunct in the treatment of depression is an "off-label" use of the drug, since the primary use is as an anti-psychotic. In low doses, and when taken for less than six months, the risk of TD with Abilify is relatively minimal, but some risk is present, particularly in older patients. This is why use of Abilify should be carefully monitored by a physician. Generally, if the drug is withdrawn at the first sign of TD symptoms, the symptoms generally reverse and do not remain permanent, particularly if the drug has been used less than six months.

No medication is risk free. You and your doctor have to balance the reward of possibly enhanced treatment for depression against the risks associated with the drug. You should discuss your concerns with your physician since that person is aware of any particular risk factors in your case.