ReviewTherapeutic advances in psychopharmacology2015
A review of the management of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms.
Review in Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
32 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 98 citations in OpenAlex.
- Approaches for discontinuation versus continuation of long-term antidepressant use for depressive and anxiety disorders in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Managing Antidepressant Discontinuation: A Systematic Review.Annals of family medicine · 2019Pooled it
- [General treatment principles, coordination of care and patient education in fibromyalgia syndrome : Updated guidelines 2017 and overview of systematic review articles].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2017Pooled it
- Do withdrawal symptoms predict depression relapse after antidepressant cessation?European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026Trial
- Efficacy and safety of Shugan Jieyu capsules in combination with zolpidem for insomnia disorder with depressive symptoms: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2025Trial
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of vortioxetine in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder.Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences · 2020Trial
- Antidepressants and Road Safety: A Forensic Toxicological Perspective Based on Observational Data and Current Evidence.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- From Evidence to Practice: A Comprehensive Analysis of Side Effects in Synthetic Anti-Depressant Therapy.Current drug safety · 2025Review
- A Retrospective Case-Control Study on the Differences in the Effectiveness of Theta-Burst Stimulation Therapy for Depression with and without Antidepressant Medication.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Depression and Its Phytopharmacotherapy-A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Availability of two essential medicines for mental health in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Nepal, Malawi, Senegal, and Tanzania: Evidence from nationally representative samples of 7958 health facilities.Journal of global health · 2022Article
- Psychotropics and COVID-19: An analysis of safety and prophylaxis.L'Encephale · 2021Article
- The XyremDrugs - real world outcomes · 2021Article
- Article
- Safety of psychotropic medications in people with COVID-19: evidence review and practical recommendations.BMC medicine · 2020Review
- General practitioners' and psychiatrists' attitudes towards antidepressant withdrawal.BJPsych open · 2020Article
- [Informations on psychotropics and their adaptations for patients suffering from mental disorders in France during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic].L'Encephale · 2020Review
- The Effectiveness ofThe Yale journal of biology and medicine · 2020Article
- Consequences of Recurrence of Major Depressive Disorder: Is Stopping Effective Antidepressant Medications Ever Safe?Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing) · 2020Article
- Protracted withdrawal syndrome after stopping antidepressants: a descriptive quantitative analysis of consumer narratives from a large internet forum.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Strong evidence supports the existence of a discontinuation syndrome following the withdrawal of antidepressant medication, particularly second-generation antidepressants. The syndrome is a common phenomenon and guidance as to best avoid the symptoms is essential for both practitioners and patients. The current study reviewed the available literature on the best methods of discontinuation for antidepressants in order to avoid or prevent the occurrence of any unpleasant side effects associated with antidepressant withdrawal. Accordingly, an electronic search of the PubMed/MedLine database and Google Scholar was conducted to find relevant literature published within the last 10 years. From this, 18 related articles were identified; five clinical studies, one case series, one consensus panel's recommendations and 11 literature reviews. Of the articles reviewed there is a general consensus as to tapering the drug slowly over a period of weeks or months. Also, in those patients who experience severe symptoms the drug should be reinstated and discontinued more gradually. The discontinuation syndrome does not occur as frequently or severely with longer-acting agents such as fluoxetine and therefore it is recommended that switching to this drug prior to withdrawal may be advisable. The articles reviewed also emphasize the need for patient education and reassurance throughout the discontinuation process. One in particular adds that cognitive behavioural therapy may be a useful tool in easing the patients' distress. However, this review highlights the lack of controlled data to support the available guidelines. Furthermore, the guidance which is available is somewhat conflicting. Research approaches should address this issue as well as develop appropriate methods of withdrawal for specific drugs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.