New Findings on Withdrawal Symptoms After Antidepressants

"After an extensive review of the literature, the research team included data from 50 randomized controlled trials that included assessment of symptoms following discontinuation of antidepressant medications. Most of the 17,828 individuals in these studies were taking antidepressants for depressive or anxiety disorders. To evaluate withdrawal symptoms, the studies either utilized the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms scale (DESS) or recorded specific adverse events following discontinuation. Of the 50 studies, 19 utilized the DESS and 45 recorded individual symptoms following discontinuation."

"Statistical methods known as meta-analyses were utilized to analyze the large amount of data from these studies. Meta-analytic methods allow multiple studies on a specific topic to be combined so that results are based on a much larger number of participants than individual studies. While there are limitations with this approach, these kinds of studies can enhance the generalizability of observed findings. Symptoms following discontinuation of antidepressants were compared to symptoms following "withdrawal" from placebo or those following maintained antidepressant treatment."

"Most people did not experience severe withdrawal symptoms when they discontinued antidepressants. On average, most experienced one more symptom than people not withdrawing from active medication. Dizziness, nausea, vertigo, and nervousness were the most common side effects of withdrawal. One week after discontinuing antidepressants, depressive symptoms did not increase. by Eugene Rubin MD, PhD and Charles Zorumski MD Discontinuing medications can be associated with withdrawal symptoms."

Data from 50 randomized controlled trials involving 17,828 individuals were pooled to assess symptoms after antidepressant discontinuation. Withdrawal symptoms were evaluated using the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms scale (DESS) or by recording specific adverse events. Meta-analytic methods combined results across trials and compared symptoms after discontinuation with symptoms after placebo discontinuation or continued antidepressant treatment. Withdrawal produced, on average, one additional symptom compared with non-withdrawal, with dizziness, nausea, vertigo, and nervousness most common. Severe withdrawal was uncommon, and depressive symptoms did not increase one week after stopping antidepressants.

Read at Psychology Today