A new analysis has challenged an earlier assessment of the severity and prevalence of withdrawal symptoms following antidepressant use, sparking a renewed debate over long-term mental health treatment strategies.
The review, published July 9 in JAMA Psychiatry, included more than 17,000 patients across 50 studies and found that symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and vertigo were all more common in patients who stopped taking an antidepressant compared with those who had been on a placebo, with symptoms generally remaining below clinically significant levels.
The findings contrast with a 2019 analysis that found 56% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms, nearly half which were described as severe, The New York Times reported July 9.
The earlier study prompted changes to psychiatric guidelines in the United Kingdom and ignited concerns among patients and providers. Critics of the 2019 findings — including Sameer Jauhar, MD, a senior lecturer at the Imperial College of London and a co-author of the study — argued that the earlier research lacked methodological rigor and may have overstated risks.
