Patients given aripiprazole ‘should be told of gambling addiction risks’

Expert urges greater monitoring of side-effect of drug used to treat depression, psychosis and schizophrenia

Patients who are prescribed a common antipsychotic used to treat depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis and schizophrenia need to be told there is a risk they could develop a gambling addiction, an expert has warned.

The National Problem Gambling Clinic has observed growing numbers of patients who have developed a gambling addiction after starting to take aripiprazole. Some patients have lost huge sums of money as a result and seen their relationships fall apart.