Medication
Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome
Related terms · Antidepressant discontinuation symptoms
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is a state where symptoms such as dizziness, sensory abnormalities, insomnia, and anxiety newly appear after reducing or stopping antidepressants.
Meaning and Distinctions
What is antidepressant discontinuation syndrome?
Antidepressant discontinuation symptoms may occur after dose reduction or cessation, and include dizziness, nausea, changes in sleep, sensory abnormalities, anxiety, and mood changes. The original depression or anxiety RecurrenceBecause the onset time, types of symptoms, and reactions to re-administration may differ, these must be distinguished by your prescriber. Rather than concluding on your own that symptoms are a relapse or treatment failure, keep a daily record to re-evaluate the tapering speed with your prescriber. Suicidal thoughts, severe agitation, mania, psychosis, or dizziness so severe that you cannot stand require immediate consultation with your prescriber or emergency medical care. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome is a condition where new symptoms such as dizziness, sensory abnormalities, insomnia, and anxiety appear after reducing or stopping antidepressants.
- Easily confused terms
- Since it can overlap with a relapse of the original depression or anxiety, the date of dosage change is compared with the time the new symptoms began.
- Why this is checked during medical evaluation
- The prescriber determines whether to reduce the antidepressant dose and the speed of that reduction. Korean herbal medicine treatment does not diagnose relapse or discontinuation symptoms in place of the prescriber, nor does it provide a tapering schedule; instead, it records the temporal relationship between dosage changes and new symptoms to concurrently manage burdens on sleep, digestion, body heat, and energy levels.
- What to write down for your visit
- Align the medication name, last dose, any missed doses, and the dates when dizziness, electric-shock sensations, nausea, or mood changes began. Verify the current diagnosis, testing and psychotherapy stage, and the full medication list including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements; distinguish between original symptoms and newly emerged sensations, and track changes in sleep, heart rate, digestion, body heat, and energy levels. Pattern Identificationas well. Please write this information down with the dates and show it during your medical evaluation.
Sleep and Mind Glossary
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Check guides where this term is used
- Condition GuideCombined Care for Antidepressant Withdrawal SymptomsAntidepressant discontinuation symptoms can occur after dose reduction or cessation, including dizziness, nausea, sleep changes, sensory abnormalities, anxiety, and mood changes. These may differ from a recurrence of original depression or anxiety in terms of onset timing, types of symptoms, and response to re-administration, so they must be distinguished by the prescriber. Rather than concluding on your own that symptoms are a recurrence or treatment failure, create a daily record so that you and your prescriber can re-evaluate the pace of treatment. Suicidal thoughts, severe agitation, mania, psychosis, or dizziness so severe that you cannot stand require immediate priority for the prescriber or emergency medical care.→
- Medical GuideIf discomfort occurs after reducing or changing mental health medicationIf insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, or sensory abnormalities occur after reducing the dose or changing medication, please write the medication name, previous and current doses, the date of change, and the date the first symptoms appeared on a single line. Since withdrawal, rebound, and the recurrence of original symptoms can overlap, do not make a definitive judgment yourself or increase the dose again. In particular, sudden discontinuation of benzodiazepines can be dangerous, so an individual reduction plan must be established with the prescribing medical staff.→
- Sleep & Mind ColumnHow should I describe antidepressant withdrawal symptoms versus a relapse of depression or anxiety?→
Evidence and Update Information
The following materials were referenced to verify the basis and scope of the definitions and treatment explanations.
- NICE NG215: Medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptomsGradual reduction of benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, antidepressants, etc., and principles of individual pacing and continuous observation