If you’ve worried that stopping an antidepressant means weeks of misery, here’s some reassuring perspective. A new systematic review of 49 randomized trials, highlighted by The i Paper’s coverage, finds that while discontinuation can cause symptoms, they’re typically mild, short-lived, and far less common than headlines suggest.
The most frequent issue? Dizziness — reported by about 8% of people who stopped an antidepressant versus 2% on placebo, implying roughly a 6% true difference. Nausea and vertigo also appear more often than with placebo, but mood worsening was not linked to discontinuation itself, which means later low mood is more likely a return of underlying depression rather than “withdrawal” per se.
In other words, most people are not “stuck” on these medications, and careful tapering remains the smart, low-stress way off for many. The conversation around antidepressant “withdrawal” has become polarized, and that can create fear.
Fear, in turn, keeps people on medicines they might no longer need — or pushes others to avoid treatment that could genuinely help. This new evidence offers a balanced middle ground. It validates that some discontinuation symptoms occur, yet on average they’re below the threshold for a clinically significant syndrome and tend to diminish over time.
That points toward a practical path: plan a taper with your clinician, monitor for common physical symptoms, and keep an eye on mood not as “withdrawal,” but as your usual wellness check.
A thoughtful line from the reporting captures the heart of it: “Our work should reassure the public,” said Dr Sameer Jauhar, psychiatrist at Imperial College London, adding that discontinuation effects are “limited in number” and “decline over time”.
This doesn’t negate other experiences or the need for individualized care — particularly for long-term users, where debate continues — but it does counter the idea that stopping is broadly severe or risky for most.
If you’re considering a change, don’t let anxiety about “withdrawal” decide for you. Talk to your doctor about a gradual, personalized taper, stay attentive to physical cues like dizziness, and keep your mental health check-ins on schedule.
Ready to dig deeper? Read the full coverage and study to see the specifics and the ongoing debate: The i Paper and JAMA Psychiatry.
