US EditionNew Analysis Shows Stopping Antidepressants Rarely Leads to Severe Symptoms
UNITED STATES, JUL 9 – Advocates and researchers emphasize the need for better tapering guidelines and recognition of prolonged antidepressant withdrawal, with some patients suffering symptoms for an average of eight years.
- A new systematic review published on Wednesday analyzed withdrawal symptoms after stopping antidepressants in short-term trials mostly lasting eight to 12 weeks.
- This review followed decades of medical guidelines describing withdrawal effects as brief and mild, though it focused on short-term use and included few long-term studies.
- Surveys and research report that long-term users, such as those on antidepressants for over two years, often experience moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms, contradicting short-term findings.
- For instance, a survey of NHS patients revealed that those who had been on antidepressants for over two years were ten times more prone to experiencing withdrawal symptoms compared to individuals who used them for six months or less; additionally, approximately 2 million people in England and 25 million in the US have been using these medications for longer than five years.
- The review suggests that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants may not be severe in the short term, but acknowledges that existing research largely focuses on short durations and may not fully capture the risks associated with long-term use, highlighting the need for further investigation.
30 Articles
30 Articles
What are the withdrawal effects of antidepressants? A new review explores the issue
A large systematic review has been released looking at antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. The meta-analysis examined the findings of 50 randomised controlled trials, involving 17 828 participants. The average age of the participants was 44, and 70 per cent were female. Health professionals in Australia say the review provides useful insights, and there is room for further research in this area.
New analysis shows stopping antidepressants rarely leads to severe symptoms
The largest review of 'gold standard' antidepressant withdrawal studies to date has identified the type and incidence of symptoms experienced by people discontinuing antidepressants, finding most people do not experience severe withdrawal.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Is a Major Public Health Issue, Experts Warn
A new review of antidepressant withdrawal effects – written by academics, many of whom have close ties to drug manufacturers – risks underestimating the potential harms to long-term antidepressant users by focusing on short-term, industry-funded studies.
Few mental health practices are more debated than the long-term use of antidepressant drugs, which are prescribed to approximately one in nine adults in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reassessment began in 2019, when two British researchers published a study that found that 56 percent of patients suffered withdrawal symptoms when they stopped taking antidepressant drugs and 46 percen…
Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms may be less common than we thought
Previous estimates have suggested that more than half of people who stop taking antidepressants experience withdrawal symptoms, but now a review of the evidence suggests this isn't the case, at least for short-term use.
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