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How and When to Stop Your Antidepressants?
Generally, you are prescribed antidepressants if the specialist who diagnosed you found that you are suffering from
- Mild to severe depression
- Severe anxiety and panic attacks
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- OCD (Obsessive compulsive disorder)
- Some of the eating disorders
- Chronic pain
According to depression statistics after 8 to 12 weeks of taking antidepressants 50 to 60% of patients will get better. The rest either won respond to the drugs at all or will be put on different group of antidepressant drugs.
Contrary to popular belief there is no proof that these drugs are addictive. So your body doesn crave a constant increase of the dose, but you will have some withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking your medication. Some of the antidepressants like Venlafaxine and Paroxetine will have more severe withdrawal symptoms than others.
What are these symptoms?
- Upset stomach and diarrhoea,
- Headaches and tiredness,
- Sleep disruption, vivid dreams,
- Dizziness,
- Flu-like symptoms,
- Extreme irritability.
When do you stop your antidepressants?
Usually 6 months after you got better. But this is your best case scenario. The course will be longer if
- You are over 65;
- This is not your first depression. If the specialist thinks that the illness is most likely to return after some time they will suggest you to keep taking your medications for up to 2 years.
How to stop taking your medication?
Under no circumstances you should stop taking your antidepressants abruptly.
Usually you gradually reduce the dose until you can stop taking the medication completely.
Gradual reduction might mean that you would take one tablet at a time instead of two or take your medication on alternate days.
If you been on antidepressants for the last 6 months to a year, then it will take you 6 to 8 weeks to slowly come off your medication. If you been taking your drugs for more than a year, then you will need at least 6 months to stop reducing your dose by quarter every 4 to 6 weeks. It important to talk to your doctor who will help you to create a reduction schedule.
Usually you will feel mild withdrawal symptoms for the first week of cutting down, more likely if you were taking Venlafaxine, Paroxetine, Imipramine or Amitriptyline. Then your body will slowly adjust to a new schedule. If your symptoms are too strong then you are reducing your medication too quickly. Slow down.
As a matter of fact most of the people won have problems stopping their antidepressants. You are more likely to have problems if you were taking your medication for a long time.
This is why it very important to record your progress and keep using other depression help methods to encourage yourself to go on.
I would love to hear from you, guys, so please share your thoughts and experiences.