US EditionAfter Quitting Antidepressants, some People Suffer Surprising, Lingering 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 systematic review published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry analyzed withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants in nearly 50 randomized clinical trials, mostly short-term studies.
- This review focused on short-term use, despite widespread concerns about withdrawal after long-term use affecting millions in the UK and US.
- A survey of NHS patients revealed that those who had been on antidepressants for over two years faced withdrawal symptoms at a rate tenfold higher than individuals treated for six months or less, with approximately two-thirds experiencing symptoms classified as moderate or severe.
- The authors found minimal evidence of withdrawal symptoms following antidepressant discontinuation, but experts emphasize the need for more extensive long-term research to fully understand enduring effects and better support patients.
- Reports indicate about 2 million people in England and at least 25 million in the US have taken antidepressants over five years, highlighting the public health relevance of withdrawal symptoms.
17 Articles
17 Articles
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.
Antidepressant withdrawal: new review downplays symptoms but misses the mark for long-term use
marevgenna/Shutterstock.comA 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. There is growing recognition that stopping antidepressants – especially after long-term use – can cause severe and sometimes debilitating withdrawal symptoms, and it i…
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