Pathological Gambling with Abilify?

[shahseh22]

I'm treating a teenager with ASD, ADHD and Anxiety who I recently started on low dose Abilify (2mg) to help with some paranoia associated with social situations. He had been receiving Prozac 40 mg and Concerta 18mg as well. His mom is telling me that lately he has been using her credit card more to buy things online without her permission and is using her account to purchase things without checking with her. She had been reading into Abilify/Gambling and is wondering if this might be the case. Doesn't appear to be the case to me, it seems more like her lack of parental controls. I've had several kids on Abilify at much higher doses and no one has ever had this complaint.

I was wondering how common is it usually? Is it more dose-dependent?

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[LadyHalcyon]

I'm treating a teenager with ASD, ADHD and Anxiety who I recently started on low dose Abilify (2mg) to help with some paranoia associated with social situations. He had been receiving Prozac 40 mg and Concerta 18mg as well. His mom is telling me that lately he has been using her credit card more to buy things online without her permission and is using her account to purchase things without checking with her. She had been reading into Abilify/Gambling and is wondering if this might be the case. Doesn't appear to be the case to me, it seems more like her lack of parental controls. I've had several kids on Abilify at much higher doses and no one has ever had this complaint.

I was wondering how common is it usually? Is it more dose-dependent?

I see a lot of teens who have become hypomanic on antidepressants.

 

[Merely]

How is buying things without permission considered gambling

 

[Mass Effect]

I'd be more concerned that he's a rebellious kid than an Abilify side effect. I'd also be more likely to wonder about the Concerta than Abilify. Of course, while my first thought would be about the kid just being a rebellious teen, I'd want to evaluate further with his input about other questions like sleep and daily functioning to rule in/out hypomanic symptoms.

 

[shahseh22]

How is buying things without permission considered gambling

Exactly mom needs to learn the definition of gambling. ugh

 

[shahseh22]

I'd be more concerned that he's a rebellious kid than an Abilify side effect. I'd also be more likely to wonder about the Concerta than Abilify. Of course, while my first thought would be about the kid just being a rebellious teen, I'd want to evaluate further with his input about other questions like sleep and daily functioning to rule in/out hypomanic symptoms.

sleep is fine. He is quite impaired in terms of social functioning and making friends due to his autism. He has extremely poor hygiene (showers 1-2 times a week) and is in ABA as well.

 

[Merovinge]

Is there any evidence Abilify improved social anxiety associated with ASD?

 

[shahseh22]

Is there any evidence Abilify improved social anxiety associated with ASD?

The pt has a lot of paranoia about people (i.e. whenever goes to public settings pt gets very nervous and starts cussing ppl out because he thinks they are looking at him or talking about him). mom is afraid to go out of the house. so using the antipsychotic to augment SSRI as well as maybe help with paranoia. he's quite obese too so reason i chose abilify.

 

[Merovinge]

The pt has a lot of paranoia about people (i.e. whenever goes to public settings pt gets very nervous and starts cussing ppl out because he thinks they are looking at him or talking about him). mom is afraid to go out of the house. so using the antipsychotic to augment SSRI as well as maybe help with paranoia. he's quite obese too so reason i chose abilify.

So keep in mind that Abilify is actually pretty far from weight neutral and more recent studies have shown more weight gain than people initially attributed to it. Don't get me wrong, it is 100% my go-to for aggression in ASD pts as its a lot easier on the body than risperidone, but what you are describing sounds like a manifestation of being neuro-atypical and not paranoia in the sense of psychosis that could improve with an atypical.