Risperdal and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Jda...
• February 1, 2020

"This medication literally ruined my life. I used to be outgoing and social, but now I'm just really silent. It makes me feel really depressed and anxious. I lost passion for the things I love like music and writing. I used to study finance, but now I lost my drive to study. I want to know if the side effects go away or if they are permanent. Does it also make anyone else quiet to the point where it ruins your life?"

• Kin...
• May 29, 2019

For Mania "Couldn't sweat/exercise. I had horrible tardive dyskinesia (flexing my lips all the time), tremors, mood swings, black spots in vision, overheating, overeating, dropped out of college because I could no longer write and even had trouble focusing on simple reading. Then I stopped drinking 6 cups of coffee a day and succumbed to the med, and all it did was put me away for 12+ hours. I couldn't do anything but eat. I thought my life was over. When I came off the drug, even when I tapered, I experienced hallucinations (more black spots, fuzzy vision). A lot of my 'delusions' were fear that I had MS. This phobia ruled my life until all of the Risperdal was out of my system, along with the rebound anxiety with it. Took it for 4 months and gained 70 lbs. I feel like this kind of medication is overprescribed all of the time. I'm back on track with my life now, and I'll never touch another med of this classification again. I feel insulted that someone tried to do this to me."

• Ano...
• November 2, 2013

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I'm taking this after a few antipsychotics didn't work, and I was hospitalized a few times for the first time in my life. My bipolar diagnosis changed to schizoaffective disorder, then schizophrenia. The delusions and paranoia were very scary. I was on 2 mg for a while with Ativan and Celexa, and I gained weight over the course of all the medicines, but it needed it. Weight gain stopped when I stopped Celexa. No paranoia. Now I'm taking 1 1/2 mg and have less anxiety, on a day I went back to 2 mg, I had more. I still have anxiety and will ask my doctor to increase my Ativan from 2 back to 3 mg or lower my Risperdal down to 1 mg. I am also on lithium and have hand tremors from that and Risperdal, but feel stable. It's so worth it. I'm staying on it."

• Met...
• October 15, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Absolutely horrible drug! I had worsened serious depression and severe akathisia from it. Agitation, irritability, anxiety, aggression also came into play. I have tried many antipsychotics on the market, and this one is by far the worst (now on Quetiapine and Abilify - much better!). No redeeming qualities whatsoever."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "After some months on Risperdal, I developed swallowing problems, which led to anxiety. Lowering the dose improved but did not eliminate the problem. Later, I noticed that I was very tense all the time. I would notice it and make myself relax, and then in a few seconds, I realized I was all tensed up again. I developed frozen muscles in my forehead. It felt like they had very little feeling. I don't know what you call it, but I saw it was listed as a side effect once I looked it up. It went away when I stopped the med. When I stopped this medication, I discovered I had a problem with my tongue. It is like it's too thick or something and doesn't form words as well, so I have a very mild speech impediment now. It is more difficult to speak, and I have to be very deliberate in speaking in order to speak clearly and without a lisp."

• SoP...
• November 19, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Risperidone for over four years now. I felt great the first year but had to constantly have my dosage increased. I don't like some of the side effects (anxiety, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, faster heart rate, flu-like symptoms) but have learned to deal with them. Once you start to gain weight, it is virtually impossible to lose the weight, as I have tried everything. It seems you peak at a certain level."

• Anonymous
• September 9, 2011

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I started taking risperidone when I was 15. It does take away the delusions and mood swings, but it leaves me with anxiety and dulls me out to the point where I don't feel like really socializing at all. I've tried other medicines like Zyprexa and Geodon, and they either do the same thing or have another bad effect on me. I'm 20 now and still haven't really found a medicine that works. I think whatever they put in antipsychotics just doesn't agree with me."

• Rag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 26, 2020

For Autism "Awful. Took it for 4 months. Doctor justified giving me this drug after I had a mere hx of “instructive thoughts.” It made me throw up when it hit my system. It made me shake. It took away my motivation for several years. It made me gain 50 lbs that I struggle to lose. Made me have mood swings and my first ever psychotic episode. When it “ran out,” it unlocked a whole new level of anxiety I never experienced before. Drove me to insomnia and I struggle to sleep without an anti-psychotic since. Had to drink several Red Bulls and smoke cigarettes just to function. Since I’ve been off the meds, I don’t need cigs or Red Bulls. Have been nicotine-free for three years! Screw this horrible drug. Made me hyperventilate when walking. Caused me to have circulatory problems, breast-like growths, and gout. All improved when I got off this medicine."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 12, 2016

For Schizophrenia "Horrible!!! ...made me silent and socially disabled, sucked happiness, just feeling irritated and flat. ...wasn't effective at all for my symptoms, also increased anxiety dramatically when I upped the dose to 4 mg..."

• kay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication gave me severe anxiety and dissociation-like feelings. I felt as if I was being dragged from reality. It was used as an antipsychotic for my bipolar disorder. I highly recommend you try Abilify instead if you have similar symptoms like I did."

• DJe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been on this med for almost two months. I started on a low dose, but lately I have had to increase the dose to get the most benefits from it. Initially, it will make me tired, but my acute mania would return after a couple of weeks. Been on 4 mg for 3 weeks, but have noticed that weight gain has been an issue for me, but I'll just have to watch what I eat and exercise more. Currently jumped to 5 mg and willing to give it a try. Not too many side effects, like somnolence, anxiety, and fatigue, which go away within two weeks. However, I take other meds, so I'm trying to figure out if I need a mood stabilizer or other meds that I'm taking. Just want to feel better and finish my degree as an adult student without the excessive tiredness. But I've been on Seroquel before, but I got type 2 diabetes from it. For restlessness, I take Cogentin and it works great."

• Des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2021

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Prescribed 4 mg daily after auditory hallucinations. Works well for that, but has caused a notable increase in anxiety, complete loss of appetite, and sex drive. Looking to come off this and try a new med."

• ocd...
• January 30, 2011

For Mania "When eating, I got anxious and felt a compulsive urge of fullness relieved only by belching repeatedly, and this medicine took all the symptoms away. It has been good for my anxiety."