People coming off antidepressants could benefit from decreasing their dose very slowly to avoid withdrawal effects, new guidance from the Royal College of Psychiatrists says. The official information, published last week, recognises that many patients suffer adverse effects from stopping medication, such as increased anxiety, dizziness, or the feeling of an electric shock in your arms, legs, or head which is sometimes called ‘zaps’.
It says that the amount of time taken to gradually taper off the medication could take months or longer, rather than a matter of weeks.
If people have only been taking the medication for a few weeks, they could try reducing their dose over a month, the guidance says.
