The long and winding road of discontinuing long-term use of antidepressants: Learning from my experience.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: More people experience withdrawal symptoms when weaning off antidepressants than previously thought; particularly after taking them for a long time. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: I explore my own experience of weaning off antidepressants; detailing conflicting advice I have received from healthcare professionals, and the mental and physical withdrawal symptoms I experienced. I relate my experiences to a growing body of research, which have important implications for improving care. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH NURSING?: Healthcare professionals should make patients aware of potential withdrawal symptoms they may experience before they wean off antidepressants; regularly review their progress; consider helping them access psychological support whilst weaning off; and engage in open and collaborative conversations with patients throughout. Clinical guidance needs to be updated to provide appropriate evidence-based information/advice/recommendations for how best to support patients when coming off of antidepressants. ABSTRACT: A significant proportion of the UK population are taking antidepressants, and have been taking them for at least a year. Clinical guidelines have controversially stated that withdrawal symptoms when weaning off antidepressants are mild and resolve after one week, with the proviso that they can be severe only if the drug is stopped abruptly. However, recent evidence suggests this is not the case. I describe my own experiences of tapering the dose of my antidepressants after several years of taking them. I describe my encounters with healthcare professionals throughout this period, detailing conflicting advice I have received, along with describing the mental and physical withdrawal symptoms I have experienced. My experiences relate to a growing body of research, which have important implications for improving care. Potential learning outcomes are that healthcare professionals should make patients aware of potential withdrawal symptoms they may experience before they wean off antidepressants; regularly review their progress; consider helping them access psychological support whilst weaning off; and engage in open and collaborative conversations with patients throughout the process. Clinical guidance needs to be updated to provide appropriate evidence-based information, advice, and recommendations for how best to support patients when coming off of antidepressants.