Antidepressant Withdrawal: A Guide for Primary Care Clinicians

Thirty million office visits annually are the result of a mental health disorder, and 33% occur in an outpatient clinic. Depression, a common diagnosis in the primary care setting, is often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and tricyclic and atypical antidepressants. However, withdrawal symptoms can occur with the abrupt cessation of the medication. This article discusses the clinical features associated with withdrawal syndrome and how to prevent them with an adequate taper of antidepressants. Antidepressants are an important part of mental health care.Withdrawal symptoms can be managed with shared decision between with patient and provider.Patients are best tapered on an individualized basis, considering pharmacokinetics such as drug half-life.