I have MDD, GAD, and ADHD. I have been on ADHD medications since 1st grade so around when I was 6 or so. I started self-harming and became aware (aware meaning understanding what my feelings were and why I felt them) of my depression and anxiety in 7th grade (age 12). I started therapy and I started seeing the same psychiatrist my mom and brother saw. MISTAKE.
Over the next few years my pill cocktail expanded:
50 mg focalin xr
10 mg focalin (which I began to abuse heavily in my first semester of college—taking up to 60-80 mg on top of my 50 extended release)
2.5 mg abilify
5 mg melatonin
Vitamin D
Clonidine
300 mg Wellbutrin XL
Lamictal
Intuniv
Possibly others.

I switched psychiatrists and one by one dropped medications (age 18)
I tried vyvanse, concerta, latuda, 450 mg wellbutrin, zoloft, (don’t get me started on birth control)
I digress.
As of today I am on:
30 mg focalin XR
300 mg wellbutrin XL
10 mg melatonin
150 mg zoloft
2 mg abilify
Benadryl

****ABILIFY JOURNEY STARTS HERE****
I am 5’3 and 21 years old. I have struggled with being underweight my entire life. The past year and a half I have gone from 105 lbs to 145 lbs. 
40 lbs
FORTY POUNDS
In a bit over a year.
Insane.
I have tried to quit abilify many times in many ways. I tried cutting the dose in half every 2 weeks. That was a disaster. I tried going down 0.5mg each month. Failure. I tried going down 0.1 mg each month. Horrible. I am very very sensitive to abilify. My major withdrawal symptoms:
-Light sensitivity
-anger/irritability
-increased anxiety (I already struggle with panic attacks on my usual 2 mg of abilify—this is hell)
-flu like symptoms (body aches, extreme fatigue, extreme sweating)
-in the past: suicidal thoughts—i haven’t felt depressed in almost a year!!!! THANK YOU ZOLOFT!!!!!!!! No signs of depression or suicidal thoughts as a withdrawal symptom as of today. I am keeping all of my loved ones updated though. 

2 days ago I decided to try cutting cold turkey. Today is day 2 of no abilify and the withdrawal has begun. I have not discussed this with my psychiatrist. My parents know I’m stopping it, as does my fiancé, and I will inform my therapist by text after this post (I meet with him weekly).

QUESTION: I wanted to know if anyone has any tips for getting through the withdrawal or if anyone has their own stories of getting off abilify.

Also, has anyone who gained weight on abilify and stopped the med gone back to their original weight or at least shed some lbs?