Antidepressants
Withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants aren’t nearly as dangerous as anti-anxiety meds, but they’re still very uncomfortable. You’re likely to experience headaches, lightheadedness, nausea, and sweating. ‘The risk of relapse is a great concern,’ says Henderson. The general rule of thumb for antidepressants: If a patient’s symptoms improve after taking the medication for six months to a year, then the doctor can consider tapering them off.
Tapering is important; the faster you quit antidepressants cold turkey, the more you increase your risk of relapsing back into a depression again. ‘There’s an incentive to find the right treatment, stay on that treatment, and prevent the illness from coming back,’ says Henderson. ‘But with more relapses, it’s hard to get the quick response and more difficult to get them well.’
