Risperdal for Social Anxiety Disorder

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TheTemp

Well-known member
Anyone on here taking Risperdal? Has it helped you? I'll share my experience as soon as I hear from someone else. :)
 
dmsteyn

dmsteyn

Well-known member
I've never used Risperdal, but I have a bipolar friend who's used it. Don't know whether it's effective for SA.
 
Remus

Remus

Moderator
Staff member
I've a friend taking that for schizophrenia, it helps them manage their condition. seems like far too harsh a drug for SA. Where did you hear about that? That's a weird drug for a GP to prescribe.
 
T

TheTemp

Well-known member
Remus said:
I've a friend taking that for schizophrenia, it helps them manage their condition. seems like far too harsh a drug for SA. Where did you hear about that? That's a weird drug for a GP to prescribe.
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Yes, my psychiatrist prescribed it to me. That was around a year ago. I've had a weird experience with it. I'm too slow and lethargic to FEEL anxious but I'm too in my own world, which in turn make me...well, feel a lot of things. I definitely think it was the wrong drug to give me. I'm kind of hooked on feeling apathetic and dull. To me, it's better than having heightened sensations and feeling anxious all the time. I can go to classes now and give eye contact and do normal grown-up things, but I can't perform as well as I used to in classes because my thinking is too slow. Can't sing because my voice lost its "omph" and can't paint or play piano because I'm just not that creative anymore. It's off-label use can be treating anxiety. So I guess that's what my psychiatrist had in mind. I would like to go on anti-depressants though, something more "appropriate" for SA.
 
Remus

Remus

Moderator
Staff member
Is this by a consultant psychiatrist or a GP? Maybe get a second opinion?

They gave me a similar antipsychotic for migraine at low dose and my god did I feel weird and doped up! Cant say how it affected my SA, I was too busy feeling sick, having palpitations and could barely stay awake!
 
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Hellhound

Hellhound

Super Moderator
I was prescribed many different antipsychotics before. I was told they work as a mood stabilizer. But later, I've found out through relatives (the psychiatrists always talked behind my back) that I was given that to treat some supposed psychotic illness they say I have.

before knowing why they were giving me that, I tried a few of those, but they made me feel like crap. I'm doing a lot better with Lamotrigine and Clonazepam.
 
Hellhound

Hellhound

Super Moderator
Remus said:
Is this by a consultant psychiatrist or a GP? Maybe get a second opinion?

They gave me a similar antipsychotic for migraine at low dose and my god did I feel weird and doped up! Cant say how it affected my SA, I was too busy feeling sick, having palpitations and could barely stay awake!
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My mother was given those and she felt a similar side efect. She had to stay in bed all day because could barely stand up.
 
I

ImNotMyIllness

Well-known member
TheTemp said:
Yes, my psychiatrist prescribed it to me. That was around a year ago. I've had a weird experience with it. I'm too slow and lethargic to FEEL anxious but I'm too in my own world, which in turn make me...well, feel a lot of things. I definitely think it was the wrong drug to give me. I'm kind of hooked on feeling apathetic and dull. To me, it's better than having heightened sensations and feeling anxious all the time. I can go to classes now and give eye contact and do normal grown-up things, but I can't perform as well as I used to in classes because my thinking is too slow. Can't sing because my voice lost its "omph" and can't paint or play piano because I'm just not that creative anymore. It's off-label use can be treating anxiety. So I guess that's what my psychiatrist had in mind. I would like to go on anti-depressants though, something more "appropriate" for SA.
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I think I would rather be neurotic than a Zombie. You're an artistic type of person (I can relate!)...anything that destroys your art, I don't think is worth it!
Prozac (generic, Fluoxetine) is a pretty safe SSRI (as far as they go). Try to get on the weakest pill you can and start from there.
 
dallasthekid

dallasthekid

Well-known member
my psychiatrist prescribed me clozapine and resperdal for my schizophrenia, i was taking clozapine by itself for a while but then i started get OCD symptoms, and so he prescribed me resperdal for the OCD. i dunno if its the right drug for SA
 
S

Staff

Super Moderator
Staff member
Risperdal (risperidone) is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is primarily used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. While it is not FDA-approved specifically for social anxiety disorder, some studies have shown that it may be effective in reducing symptoms of social anxiety.

One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology found that risperidone was effective in reducing symptoms of social anxiety disorder in adults. Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that risperidone was effective in reducing social anxiety symptoms in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

It's important to note that any medication should only be taken under the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider, and that individual responses to medication can vary. It's also important to consider potential side effects and weigh the benefits and risks of any medication.

Sources:
  1. "Risperidone (Risperdal) for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935455/
  2. "Treatment of social anxiety disorder with risperidone": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11235934/
  3. "Risperdal (Risperidone) for Anxiety Disorders": https://www.verywellmind.com/risperdal-risperidone-for-anxiety-disorders-3024491
 
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