Withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing antidepressants worse the longer they are taken

From PsyBlog 08/06/25

The longer a person takes antidepressants, the more likely they are to experience withdrawal symptoms when coming off them.

People who have taken them for more than two years are at a 10 times higher risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms compared to short-term users (less than six months).

For long-term users, those symptoms are likely to be more severe and take longer to resolve.

Around half may suffer withdrawal symptoms when coming off antidepressants (although some think the true rate is nearer 15 percent).

Withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, dizziness, headaches, nausea, depression and suicidal thoughts.

It has been my experience after 56 years of practice as a psychiatric social worker that anti-depressant in some situations can be helpful but they are not a panacea for what too easily is diagnosed as "depression." There are many different types of depression and multiple factors that contribute to it. Studies show that in general counseling is more helpful in the long run than medications. In general anyone started on an anti- depressant should also obtain an evaluation of the depression by a qualified mental health clinician.

Major cause of perinatal maternal death is behavioral health problems

 

The major cause of maternal mortality in the US are behavioral health conditions accounting for almost 23% of all perinatal deaths.

Mental health care for pregnant women can be life saving. It also seems the SSRI antidepressant medications are safe in general and the benefits outweigh any risks.

For more click here and here.

Only Prozac, Fluoxetine, seem to provide benefits greater than risks in adolescents with depression.

According to a meta-analysis of antidepressant treatment for adolescents with depression published in the Lancet, the English medical journal in June, 2016, only Prozac (Fluoxetine) seemed to provide benefits which outweighed the risks.

You can access the journal article abstract by clicking here.

There are many studies which show the benefits of psychotherapy however.