Research indicates that 15% of patients discontinuing antidepressants suffer from withdrawal symptoms, with 3% experiencing severe effects. This contrasts with earlier studies showing higher incidences, suggesting the influence of the nocebo effect and expectations. About 15% of individuals stopping antidepressants face discontinuation symptoms, with severe cases in 3%.
This data, from a review of 79 trials, highlights the potential impact of the nocebo effect and stresses the importance of monitored medication withdrawal. Discontinuation Symptoms in Antidepressant Withdrawal For someone stopping taking antidepressants, the risk of experiencing one or more discontinuation symptoms (also called withdrawal symptoms), such as dizziness, headache, nausea, insomnia, and irritability, due directly to stopping the medication is 15% (equivalent to one in six to seven people), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry. The analysis also found discontinuation symptoms that patients describe as severe, and which may have led to patients dropping out of a study or restarting on antidepressants, occurred in about 3% (one in 35) of patients stopping antidepressants.
The Role of Antidepressants in Treating Depression “There’s strong evidence that antidepressants can be effective for many people who are experiencing a depressive disorder, either alone, or alongside other treatments such as psychotherapy. However, they do not work for everyone, .