Side effects of stopping antidepressants cold turkey

At some specific moments in life, feelings of sadness, hopelessness and social isolation may arise. The lack of will to carry out personal projects appears, we feel that nothing makes sense and that no one can understand what we feel in these circumstances. One of the most used resources in these cases is the intake of psychiatric medication, in order to reduce the symptoms of depressive symptoms of various intensities. After a while, the effects of antidepressants cause an increase in certain hormones that produce a feeling of happiness. For this reason, many people may think that they no longer need to continue taking these medications and choose by stopping them suddenly, which can lead to problems that affect your physical and mental.

In this Psychology-Online article we will explain what are the side effects of stopping antidepressants cold turkey.

Index

1. Is it safe to stop taking antidepressants cold turkey?
2. Physical symptoms when stopping antidepressants
3. How long do the effects of stopping antidepressants last?
4. How to come off antidepressants safely

First of all, it is important to clarify that each antidepressant It has its own indications and contraindications, so its effects could be different for each person. Having said this, the general answer we can give in this regard is that It's not safe to stop taking antidepressants cold turkey., since this could cause physical, behavioral and emotional changes that would have a negative impact on a person's life.

Likewise, for the interruption in the consumption of antidepressants to be safe, it is necessary that it be carried out under the supervision of a specialized health professional.

What happens if antidepressants are stopped suddenly? Like all psychiatric medication, after stopping antidepressants, some bodily manifestations may occur that are important to take into account. Knowing this data allows solutions to be established in time to avoid these consequences.

Next, we show you the main physical symptoms when stopping antidepressants:

• Difficulty falling asleep.
• Mood swings.
• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• vomiting
• Nausea.
• Recurrence of symptoms associated with depression.
• Anxiety.

The duration of the effects after stopping antidepressants suddenly will depend on factors such as the time of consumption, the dose implemented, the presence of other diseases and the qualities of each person, however, it is possible to mention that this period oscillates between three days and up to a few weeks.

The presence of side effects from stopping antidepressants after this time can be an alarm factor that must be taken into account. In those cases, it is recommended go to a mental health center to rule out other underlying causes.

In order for the interruption in taking antidepressants to occur safely, it is necessary to have viable alternatives that do not put the physical and mental health of the person at risk. Here are five tips that can be of great help to safely stop taking these drugs and alleviate antidepressant withdrawal symptoms:

Dose taper

First of all, it is convenient gradually lower the dose that the person consumes instead of withdrawing the medication suddenly. This will allow the body to gradually adapt to the hormonal changes that occur in the process to avoid adverse effects.

Consult with mental health professionals

Before stopping antidepressants suddenly you should consult with a mental health professional to identify the causes that lead the person to make this decision. In this type of situation, the accompaniment and objective look of other people is essential.

Consider personal goals

As we have already mentioned, in many cases the people who make the decision to leave antidepressants on their own often do so because they feel the medication is no longer needed. medication. However, we must bear in mind that this class of drugs can mask the symptoms of depression.

For this reason, consider personal goals it is important to prevent relapse of depressive symptoms after stopping antidepressants.

understand the changes

Although it sounds redundant, knowing that bodily, behavioral, and emotional changes will occur it is part of the process of coming off antidepressants. It is a logical period of adaptation of the organism that it is necessary to go through.

Understanding the possible changes that may occur will help the person experience the situation with less uncertainty and discomfort.

Substitution for a less intense medication

Sometimes it will be best switch to other medications with less effect in the organism. In this way, side effects are avoided in the body and the adaptation time can be longer. If this possibility is considered, it should be carried out in contact with a health professional who evaluates the clinical conditions of the person.

If you want to know more about this topic, in the following article you will find more information about How to stop antidepressants.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Side effects of stopping antidepressants cold turkey, we recommend that you enter our category of neuropsychology.

• Baeza, S., Quijada, J., Santander, J. (2002). Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Chilean Journal of Neuro-psychiatry, 40 (1), 56-66.