I'm not sure how much it helped the first time I took buspirone. It was my first psych med ever, when I think I was 15. I don't recall staying on it long, though. At 15, I wouldn't have. My mother let me handle it.

When I was about 36 or 37 I tried it again. I recall even suggesting it to the inpatient psychiatrist. I told her that my father was taking it and liked it. The only side effect that he ever attributed to it was vivid dreaming that he said made him sometimes wake up while violently hitting something in his sleep. I never experienced that. I don't recall any side effects, or at least no significant one. I was taken off quickly the second time because it wasn't cutting the mustard, but then again I was in very bad psychiatric condition then, having had numerous hospitalizations in the few years before, and also soon after.

Buspar was never a "prn" type med for my father or me. In fact, usually at least twice, if not three times daily.

It's one of the meds where you shouldn't drink/eat grapefruit. Doing so reduces the drug's effectiveness and may increase side effect risk. OJ and oranges are fine.

Here's an article about using buspirone with bipolar disorder: Buspar for Anxiety With Bipolar Disorder I don't think it would cause mania risk in many. That may be based on reports that weren't clear.

I agree that long-term benzo use is bad news. I am finally off Klonopin and feel liberated.