A West Virginia man recently filed a lawsuit against the makers of Abilify, alleging that the popular antipsychotic drug caused him to suffer major compulsive behavior problems, leading to a serious gambling addiction.

The plaintiff, Delmer H., says he began taking Abilify in December 2014 and continued this use for more than two years, until April 2017. Delmer alleges that his use of Abilify led him to struggle with serious compulsive behavior issues, including a gambling addiction.

According to his lawsuit, Delmer was not adequately warned about the risks of Abilify, including the potential for compulsive behavior problems like gambling addiction, compulsive shopping, and sex addiction. Had he been adequately warned, he claims, he could have chosen a safer alternative and avoided these issues entirely.

Delmer filed his gambling addiction lawsuit on July 13, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Pensacola Division of the Northern District of Florida. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including strict liability, breach of express and implied warranties, negligence, fraudulent concealment, and several others.

Background of Abilify

Abilify (also known by its generic name, aripiprazole) is an antipsychotic medication jointly manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Patients take Abilify to treat mental or mood disorders like schizophrenia and depression. Abilify has become increasingly popular, and now brings in billions of dollars each year.

However, even though the drug is widely used, reports and studies have linked Abilify with some serious side effects. Patients taking Abilify have reported an irresistible urge to gamble, shop, eat, or have sex. Some patients have filed lawsuits against Abilify’s manufacturers, claiming that they were not given adequate warning about these risks.

Abilify Gambling Addiction Risk

While any medication will come with certain mild side effects like nausea or rashes, patients claim that the compulsive behavior risks linked with Abilify may outweigh the drug’s benefits.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine noted a link between the use of dopamine receptor agonists like Abilify, and compulsive behavior problems like gambling addiction, sex addiction, and compulsive shopping. These impulse control problems not only affect an Abilify patient’s day-to-day life, but can also cause major problems for them financially.

Gambling addiction and other compulsive behavior problems can be so severe that people may land in extremely steep debt. For those suffering from these problems, it can be very difficult to recover and return to normal life. Even when patients do manage to recover from the mental effects of Abilify and compulsive behavior, they may still be left with severe financial and familial consequences.

Filing an Abilify Gambling Addiction Lawsuit

More and more lawsuits are being filed over side effects after treatment with Abilify. Abilify and similar drugs are currently being investigated in the United States to determine their dangers.

If you or someone you love has taken Abilify and been negatively affected by gambling addiction or suffered from other compulsive behaviors, you may able to join the growing pile of lawsuits against Abilify. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the mental anguish or suffering caused by compulsive behavior problems, it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by some of these problems, and compensate for the necessary treatment.

The Gambling Addiction Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-01535-MCR-GRJ, in the U.S. District Court for the Pensacola Division of the Northern District of Florida.