Antidepressant withdrawal affects one in six people

Some people have unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness, headache, nausea and insomnia when they stop taking antidepressants, which, the researchers say, can cause considerable distress.

Previous estimates suggested antidepressant discontinuation symptoms (ADS) affected 56% of patients, with almost half of cases classed as severe.

But this review, from the Universities of Berlin and Cologne, estimates:

Official health guidance, external is to reduce the dose of antidepressant medication in stages over time, rather than stopping it suddenly or missing doses, which could lead to withdrawal symptoms.

Most people stop antidepressants successfully, the guidance adds.

Other research suggests ADS lasts for one to two weeks.

Study author Prof Christopher Baethge, from the department of psychiatry and psychotherapy, at the University of Cologne, said the findings were “quite robust”.

But the review’s lower estimate of ADS “did not mean it’s all in their heads”.