Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 1999;37:49-52; doi:10.1136/dtb.1999.37749
Copyright © 1999 by the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

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Withdrawing patients from antidepressants

Relevant BNF section: 4.3

Around 1 in 5 people experience an episode of major depressive illness at some time in their lives, and many experience relapse or recurrence.¹ To prevent early relapse, most experts now recommend several months' treatment for patients with acute episodes of depression. Patients considered at high risk for recurrence of severe depression may need long-term maintenance treatment.^2,3 Doctors have to advise their patients whether and when it is prudent to stop treatment, and must be alert to potential problems when antidepressants are withdrawn. The two main problems are relapse or recurrence of depression, and effects arising from withdrawal of the drugs themselves. We discuss the withdrawal of antidepressant drug treatment in adults with unipolar depression.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. M. Haddad and I. M. Anderson Recognising and managing antidepressant discontinuation symptoms Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., November 1, 2007; 13(6): 447 - 457. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]