A new study shows that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants are usually mild—and often overestimated.
If you’ve ever thought about stopping antidepressants - or know someone who has - you’ve probably heard about withdrawal symptoms. Some people say they’re mild, others say they’re awful. So what’s the truth?
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry (Kalfas et al., 2025) gives us some clearer answers. It looked at data from over 17,000 people across 50 clinical trials to better understand what happens when people stop taking antidepressants. The findings are surprising, reassuring in some ways, and useful for anyone considering coming off their medication.
The researchers found that people who stopped antidepressants did experience more symptoms than those who continued their medication or stopped a placebo. But here’s the important part:
On average, people experienced just one extra symptom - and it was usually mild.
The most common symptoms were:
Of these, dizziness was the most common, affecting about 7.5% of people who stopped antidepressants - compared to only 1.8% of those who stopped a placebo.
So yes, withdrawal is real. But for most people, it’s manageable - and often short-lived.
Here’s something that might surprise you:
Stopping antidepressants was not linked to an increase in depressive symptoms in the first two weeks.
That means if someone feels low or anxious months after stopping, it’s more likely a sign that their original condition is returning—not a withdrawal effect. This is an important distinction, especially for doctors trying to support people through the process.
Absolutely. The study found that certain medications had a higher chance of causing symptoms when stopped:
So if you’re considering stopping, the type of antidepressant you’re taking matters. It’s worth having a conversation with your doctor about the best approach.
Many people assume that gradually reducing the dose (tapering) is always better than stopping suddenly. While tapering does seem to help, the research didn’t show a huge difference—possibly because most of the studies used very short tapering periods (like one week).
This doesn’t mean tapering is useless, but it does highlight the need for more research on longer and more personalised tapering plans.
If you’re thinking about stopping antidepressants, here’s what to keep in mind:
Stopping antidepressants is a personal decision—and it should be made with the right support. This study shows that for most people, coming off medication is not as scary as it’s sometimes made out to be. With the right plan and monitoring, it can be a smooth and safe process.
See the full article here: Kalfas et al (2025). Incidence and Nature of Antidepressant Discontinuation Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.