You are smart to question all drugs that are recommended. For example in my own experience they wanted me to take Nexium/Prilosec to help prevent nausea. In checking out this drug I found that it stops 99% of acid production in the stomach. Calcium and magnesium need acid to be absorbed. Low magnesium can cause depression, on and on....
No doubt, there are those who are helped by various meds, and many who are harmed. For anxiety that isn't altering your ability to meet the demands of life you might be better off trying yoga. Recent studies have shown people who do yoga have higher levels of "happy" neurotransmitters. Here's one sight which also links to some studies of meditations positive effects on the brain: http://anmolmehta.com/blog/2010/09/14/do-yoga-for-happiness-brain-yoga-research/
It has been a horror drug in my family. My brother passed away @51 years.
The known blood sugar issues from Abilify made him become very obese and
his heart gave away. I am not saying it was solely Abilify but it played a big role.
He took it for many years as well.
it has been a wonder drug in my family. psychiatric issues with adult children. 0 sx, so far. 5 year use.
Abilify can seriously effect your blood sugar even make you diabetic.
psychiatric drugs are serious. they work differently for different people and no 2 are the same. this looks like a small dose and anxiety is a common side effect of tx. it is important that you read about it on line or in print out as some of the sx are similar to tx and it might be hard to tell which is causing sx. even at small doses some of these meds are hard to come off of and one must withdraw carefully. i am glad u are doing your homework and not just trusting doc. if your doc is a hepatologist he/she may not know alot about such meds except from a how the liver is affected so....information is power. good luck, babs