Buspirone and Depression: What Users Say

• Ins...
• May 15, 2014

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I have only been taking BuSpar for about a month, but I have seen a rapid turnaround in my anxiety. I am not cured, I still get panicked from time to time, but I am now able to deal with my worries without getting lost in them. I used to go about life in a sort of depersonalized haze, but the medication has worked in bringing me back to reality. As for side effects, I think it is safe to say that I got them all in the first couple of weeks: nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, slight depression, etc. However, it was nothing that was too bad. As I continued to take it, the side effects decreased. Furthermore, the benefits that I have obtained from it far outweighed any complaints that I might have had. I would suggest trying it for anxiety."

• Sem...
• June 30, 2020

For Anxiety "This buspirone was prescribed during quarantine, so it took me a while to distinguish the medicine's side effects from how I would otherwise be processing this difficult situation. Over the span of 2 months, I thought I was just increasingly extremely fatigued from trying to stay at and work from home with a 2-year-old and 5-year-old, with no set end in sight. I went to bed early, didn't sleep well, and couldn't get out of bed. My sex drive disappeared. I ate too much, and the consistency of rapid 20-pound weight gain in my stomach and neck was odd - my mid-section was tight, and my throat was bloated (I later figured out this was water retention). Instead of my general happy nature, I felt listless and hopeless. Then I read about other people experiencing the same side effects and felt relief that it wasn't just how I was now. I phased myself off. My sleep and appetite immediately went back to normal, and I feel energy and optimism again."

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2020

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "I am taking 1.0 mg of Xanax 2 hours before I drive to and from work. My general panic turned into a specific phobia of driving on the highways about 2 years ago. My doctor wanted me to try BuSpar, 15 mg twice a day, to try to get off the Xanax. It gave me massive headaches, blurred vision, made me very sad (I am normally a very happy, positive person), and did nothing to help my panic. I have been on many SSRIs, Paxil helped me for years and then suddenly stopped working. I gave BuSpar a shot and regret it. The worst side effects of any medication I have ever tried."

• car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2016

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was suffering from such bad anxiety that I felt desperate. I wanted it gone so I waited the six weeks it took to get into a psychiatrist. She prescribed me BuSpar and within the first day, the meds started to kick in. I took the first dose and then the second as she prescribed me 5mg twice a day to start. I could feel the chemicals in my brain changing and suppressing the anxiety, and it was a relief! Let me warn you though, anyone with true anxiety also suffers from depression too so once the anxiety is taken care of with BuSpar the depression comes on so much stronger! I'm on Zoloft and BuSpar. Used to just be on Paxil until it stopped working."

• SJJ...
• September 5, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar is the worst drug I have ever taken. It was prescribed several years ago for anxiety to cope with an upcoming surgery and the health risks associated with it. Prior to BuSpar, I had never taken any depression medicine nor struggled with extreme anxiety. I exercised often and was not taking medicine for any other health issue. BuSpar sent me into a horrible, deep pit of despair, unlike I had ever known or could even imagine anyone having. The doctor kept telling me it would take a while to work, but after two weeks, BuSpar never did. I got off of it and, while still anxious about surgery, had no more extreme depression. The despair caused by BuSpar was far worse than the surgery. If I had to choose, I would gladly have that surgery again rather than take another round of BuSpar. Seriously, be careful with this drug."

• SJJ...
• September 5, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "BuSpar is the worst drug I have ever taken. It was prescribed several years ago for anxiety to cope with an upcoming surgery and the health risks associated with it. Prior to BuSpar, I had never taken any depression medicine nor struggled with extreme anxiety. I exercised often and was not taking medicine for any other health issue. BuSpar sent me into a horrible, deep pit of despair, unlike I had ever known or could even imagine anyone having. The doctor kept telling me it would take a while to work, but after two weeks, BuSpar never did. I got off of it and, while still anxious about surgery, had no more extreme depression. The despair caused by BuSpar was far worse than the surgery. If I had to choose, I would gladly have that surgery again rather than take another round of BuSpar. Seriously, be careful with this drug."

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "Horrible! Was almost working and then, boom! Hyped up my anxiety and OCD, worry, and panic. My doctor said to stay with it a few more weeks. Started to get depressed and very sad. Beware! It might work for some, but for the ones it doesn't, it is a dangerous drug!"

• Gir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2019

Buspirone for Anxiety "Horrible! Was almost working and then, boom! Hyped up my anxiety and OCD, worry, and panic. My doctor said to stay with it a few more weeks. Started to get depressed and very sad. Beware! It might work for some, but for the ones it doesn't, it is a dangerous drug!"

• nee...
• November 7, 2009

Buspirone for Anxiety "I had taken BuSpar many years ago until one day I decided I just didn't need it anymore and stopped taking it, no weaning, no withdrawal. Now I'm back on it again and will stay on it until I feel that way again. It took a couple of weeks, and a few days of depression, before it took hold but I have never experienced any side effects. In fact, the only thing I feel is that I am thinking positively, rather than looking for a boogeyman in everything. Just a natural feeling of health. Recently the doctor tried something else because of poor sleep and gave me lorazepam, which made my arms and legs feel heavy and I slept for 12 hours, and then diazepam which did nothing much but dampened my feelings and sleep was worse. I'll stay with BuSpar."

• CMR...
• August 22, 2013

Buspirone for Anxiety "Took 5mg. Dizziness after I initially started taking, that vanished but occasionally cropped up once in a while. Felt pretty good. Happier. Thoughts that I would normally worry about still came to me, but I was able to think about them and dismiss them, not obsess over them ALL day. Some months later though I began becoming extremely emotional. I cried all the time, became so depressed getting dressed and brushing my teeth was a huge struggle; was paranoid, wanted to hurt myself, had crazy thoughts. I would sob at the drop of a hat, which ISN'T like me at all. Took months of confusion, emptiness, anger, and loneliness to figure out it was the Buspar. Loved it in the beginning, but unfortunately it was not for me!"

• The...
• May 28, 2015

For Anxiety "My dear and esteemed friends, buspirone is, in my opinion, the best anxiety medication I have had. It is extremely safe, non-addictive, and has no withdrawal effects. I am 32 and never had panic or anxiety attacks until March of 2014 when I had a kidney stone and was given hydromorphone for the pain, and it messed up my nervous system, giving me pretty bad anxiety/panic attacks and a little depression. First, I tried Xanax 0.25 mg for a while, but it is short-acting, and then I was given citalopram 10 mg, but I stopped it because of concern for possible side effects of SSRIs. Finally, my cousin, who is a wise doctor, gave me buspirone 7.5 mg, and it was great! I took it for 3 months, and there was a total disappearance of anxiety, panic, and no depression. What a blessing it is."

• ANo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2020

For Anxiety "I was taking Buspirone for general anxiety, and it caused really bad depression, intrusive thoughts, randomly would start crying, and was waking up in the middle of the night in a full panic. The first 2 weeks, I felt really good, and by week 3, I started slowing down, not thinking correctly, and had a very dark cloud over me. I stopped after about 2 months, and the first 2 weeks off of it were really bad. Not everyone is the same, but take this medication with caution!"

• Wor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2016

Buspirone for Anxiety "My doctor prescribed due to its low dosage. And that I didn't want to take meds. I became so helpless after years of trying to cope with anxiety on my own, I finally reached a point where medicine was my only hope. It kicked in quickly, my obsessive thoughts stopped, then the dosage would wear off, so I started taking a higher dosage. Then it made me become upset, super emo crying, not myself, and finally realized it was BuSpar. Cut back dosage again. It made me tired all the time, couldn't concentrate, weird dreams, and loss of interest in things. Was not a good fit, I finally had to ask the doctor for something else after a year. It didn't work altogether except for stopping obsessive thoughts. It also gave me brain zaps, memory loss, and space cadet syndrome."

• Sab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2023

For Panic Disorder "Absolutely horrible!! Only took this for 4 days, and I’m immediately stopping it. I was only prescribed 5 mg too. The first 2 days I didn’t feel anything, but the next days I felt horrible around 15 min after taking it. I felt extremely disassociated, stressed, and sad out of the blue. It led me to have an anxiety attack, which is crazy because it’s supposed to help with anxiety. I personally would not recommend this and would never take it ever again. I felt horrible, and I’m glad I’m finally feeling myself since I stopped it."

• Alf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2019

For Anxiety "Been taking buspirone for 3 weeks, 7.5 mgs 3 times a day. Helped tremendously with my generalized and social anxiety. First week or so had side effects consisting of headaches, dizziness, tiredness, and lack of motivation throughout the day. But that all went away with the exception of slight dizziness for 30 mins or so after taking it. When it happens, it comes and goes fast. Doesn't always happen. My anxiety is almost non-existent. I can concentrate better, especially in conversations, which before, my mind would wander then race when talking to others. This turns into anxiety attacks. Buspirone helps my mind stay focused on the conversation. I'm more confident in these situations. So far, this drug is exactly what I needed."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed this drug to help my anxiety through a job change. DO NOT take this drug! It doubled my anxiety, insomnia to the point that I hadn't slept in 3 nights, caused jerking motions that would wake me up when I did actually fall asleep, nauseous, absolutely no appetite, feelings of complete depression and hopelessness."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2021

Buspirone for Anxiety "I was prescribed this drug to help my anxiety through a job change. DO NOT take this drug! It doubled my anxiety, insomnia to the point that I hadn't slept in 3 nights, caused jerking motions that would wake me up when I did actually fall asleep, nauseous, absolutely no appetite, feelings of complete depression and hopelessness."

• Gai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2022

For Anxiety "I know some meds are not for everyone, but this medication made me feel insane in a way no others have before. It made me feel completely on edge at all times, along with restlessness, anxiety, hopelessness, crying spells, fear of outside, light, and being alone, disassociation, and constant fear. I can't believe a medication can make you feel this way. I just wanted to post my review in case others are going through what I went through-that you need to get off the meds and give it time, unfortunately. I truly felt like I was going insane and went to the ER, my PCP, and psychiatrist, and all of them were surprised that buspirone could cause this, but it was buspirone. So if you are going through getting off this med, just know that you will be okay and that you will not feel this way forever, and it just needs to work its way out of your system. Be careful and don't lose hope."

• Anx...
• September 27, 2016

Buspirone for Panic Disorder "My mild anxiety had been building for years when I decided to seek help for it. At that time, I had only experienced one panic attack after a health scare (heart palpitations from over-exercising). It wasn't until I sought help to control my stress that I was prescribed Prozac. I started having panic attacks and was taken off. I started taking BuSpar. The first few weeks were really rough (brain zaps). It kept me from having panic attacks, but I still experienced moderate anxiety every day. After eight weeks, I started to experience depression for no reason and intrusive thoughts. Nothing like I ever experienced before. So I went back down, depressive thoughts came back. I tapered off. Lightheadedness, ear ringing, and brain fog persisted the entire three months I was on it."

• Pur...
• November 19, 2019

For Anxiety "The third week on buspirone for anxiety, and I developed side effects of tachycardia, didn’t sleep more than 3 hours/night. I also developed tremors, fever, muscle aches, bone pain. I also developed chest pain and pressure. It became so bad I was close to fainting constantly. I thought my thyroid problems had come back. At the end of the third week, I went to the doctor who told me to immediately discontinue. I had an ECG, which was normal, and so was my thyroid. But it was the worst experience I had with a medication, and I had become so exhausted and confused I didn’t realize I had to stop until the doctor told me so. Please be careful with this medication. If it works for you, that’s wonderful. However, if you start developing weird symptoms, go talk to your doctor right away. I stopped taking it 4 days ago and am now experiencing withdrawal symptoms: depression, lots of anxiety, extreme lethargy, nausea, even flu-like symptoms, but I know it will pass."

• DB8...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2016

For Anxiety "Buspirone has improved my life! Initial response was unpleasant. Prescribed 10 mg 1/2-1 pill every 6-8 hrs. First dose felt odd, not myself, jittery, detached. Others' positive reviews prompted me to start with only 1/4 pill before a nap, then 1/2 before bed. Being asleep made a difference, I woke up refreshed, alert, at ease. Then I took 1 pill 3 times a day. Day 5, the constant ringing in my ears from tinnitus was less noticeable and my stress level better. After a month, I feel so much happier! Positive, alert, more in control. Negatives: vivid dreams. Symptoms of my autoimmune disorder are improved, it appears Buspirone helps in more ways than are listed and has turned out to be the single most effective medication I take. Wish I had it years ago!"

• kbh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 27, 2023

Buspirone for Anxiety "Added 10 mg in the morning along with my low dose of Zoloft. Has significantly helped with negative Zoloft side effects (hair loss, low sex drive, and low motivation). In combination, BuSpar and Zoloft have helped me to feel normal again. Not anxious, motivated, and confident. Was originally prescribed 10 mg twice a day, but I was having trouble falling asleep with the second dose, so I cut it out."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2020

For Panic Disorder "Been on this medication for almost 2 weeks for GAD and panic disorder. The first couple days I experienced side effects like migraines and sharp stomach pains, but it was tolerable. After the first week, I found it was definitely helping with my anxiety levels and reducing my panic attacks, and the side effects from earlier had disappeared. Unfortunately, in week two, I found myself becoming very depressed and even having violent thoughts, and I believe the medication is causing it. Most likely, I will be switching to an SSRI from Prozac or Lexapro to see if that works better."

• tra...
• November 30, 2015

Buspirone for Anxiety "This is the first anxiety medicine I have ever been on, and it is by far the worst experience ever. My moods are anxious, depressed, and irritable. At first, I thought I was just overwhelmed with school and work, after reading some other reviews, I realized it's the BuSpar doing it to me. If I take one due to an anxiety attack, about an hour later I am crying and talking about how much I hate myself, then about 30 minutes after that stops, I get extremely irritable and everything makes me mad. I've quit taking it until my follow-up appointment, and I can get it changed. I will never try this again."

• kon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2014

For Anxiety "When I first started taking this at 5 mg twice daily (10 mg daily total) for generalized anxiety disorder, I was an absolute zombie, especially in the morning after taking my first dose. I was dizzy and unable to think straight. I was useless and confused at work, making my anxiety worse. Once I cut down to 2.5 mg at bedtime, it was perfect for me. The ability to sleep well helped me to make better food choices, exercise more, and think more clearly. If I had more severe anxiety that needed stronger management, I don't think this medicine would have been appropriate for me, but it was great for my situation. I discontinued use during pregnancy but plan to revisit it as an option once I finish breastfeeding."