2015 Systematic Review re: SSRI Withdrawal

These researchers looked at numerous studies, trials, investigations and case reports regarding SSRI withdrawal or "discontinuation", as it's sometimes called.

 

Here's a key quote:

 

"Symptoms typically occur within a few days from drug discontinuation and last a few weeks, also with gradual tapering. However, many variations are possible, including late onset and/or longer persistence of disturbances. Symptoms may be easily misidentified as signs of impending relapse. Conclusions: Clinicians need to add SSRI to the list of drugs potentially inducing withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation, together with benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and other psychotropic drugs."

 

Here's the abstract:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25721705

Conclusions: Clinicians need to add SSRI to the list of drugs potentially inducing withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation, together with benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and other psychotropic drugs. The term 'discontinuation syndrome' that is currently used minimizes the potential vulnerabilities induced by SSRI and should be replaced by 'withdrawal syndrome'.

 

Thanks for posting this, Lapis. Sounds like the SSRI's are headed down a similar path as the benzos and may eventually become a controlled substance.

 

I wish they'd included drugs like Serefam and Brisdelle which are re-packaged SSRI's.

Hey, Mind, thanks for weighing in on this one. The whole "withdrawal" vs. "discontinuation" issue is clearly a creation of the drug companies, so I'm glad that people are now calling it what it is.

 

I've experienced withdrawals from both types of medications, and they can both be extremely intense. I didn't have any idea what I was in for when I started taking these medications, and I have a feeling that that's quite common.

Hey, Mind, thanks for weighing in on this one. The whole "withdrawal" vs. "discontinuation" issue is clearly a creation of the drug companies, so I'm glad that people are now calling it what it is.

 

I've experienced withdrawals from both types of medications, and they can both be extremely intense. I didn't have any idea what I was in for when I started taking these medications, and I have a feeling that that's quite common.

 

Yep, unfortunately, it is quite common. I get high off of SSRI's, but because doctors mis-diagnosis this as bipolar, I have to wonder if my pdoc's have actually read about the side effects.

 

Scary, scary thought.

 

Connecting what you found with one of Dr. Ashton's speech in 2011, and the game seems even more rigged:

 

As I mentioned, the benzodiazepines had been accepted as being addictive on the basis of their withdrawal effects. Now the all-powerful physicians of the American Psychiatric Association were faced with SSRI withdrawal. So once again they shifted their position. They adroitly changed their definition of drug dependence in the DSM IV. Withdrawal effects were no longer enough to qualify. The criteria for dependence were extended to include tolerance, dosage escalation and other characteristics. And the withdrawal syndrome was replaced by the patronising euphemism "discontinuation reaction". As if a patient would think there was some subtle distinction between 'discontinuation' and 'withdrawal'. - Dr. Heather Ashton -  Source: http://www.benzo.org.uk/chabradford.htm

 

 

Lapis, thanks so much for all you do in the Benzos in the News section. I learn a lot. 

There's a great book by Dr. Joseph Glenmullen called "The Antidepressant Solution", and it spells things out clearly for those who need a guidebook to getting off these meds safely. He's a Harvard professor and a psychiatrist, and while he does prescribe the meds for some patients, he's well aware of the problems that some people have with them. I found the book only after I'd gone off Prozac and was in the midst of a horrible withdrawal, but I was so glad to see that a person in his position was giving clear, solid information. No BS!

There's a great book by Dr. Joseph Glenmullen called "The Antidepressant Solution", and it spells things out clearly for those who need a guidebook to getting off these meds safely. He's a Harvard professor and a psychiatrist, and while he does prescribe the meds for some patients, he's well aware of the problems that some people have with them. I found the book only after I'd gone off Prozac and was in the midst of a horrible withdrawal, but I was so glad to see that a person in his position was giving clear, solid information. No BS!

 

Yes! I've heard of Dr. Glenmullen and that's regarded as a really good book. It's on my reading list!