I don't have bipolar, but I took Abilify (an atypical anti-psychotic) for a while to augment my anti-depressant. For a while, i felt similar to you. I was afraid to take it because someone had told me a horror story about a side effect it gave her. So for months I had the meds but didn't take them. When I finally took them, I immediately felt better and had no side effects whatsoever. I am very glad I took them. My psychiatrist was not trying to poison me. And I do not have dementia.