But what should you do if you want to safely come off of the medication?
The authors found that previous studies did not distinguish between returning depression symptoms and withdrawal symptoms from the medication.
This lack of distinction can ultimately lead to the inappropriate continuation of antidepressants or poor healthcare decisions.
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The review was published in theCochrane Database of Systematic Reviewsin late April.
Others may want to discontinue use because they find that the medication is ineffective.
However, slowly tapering off the medication is typically the norm.
Harari only recommends stopping antidepressants abruptly when there is a clear medical reason to do so.
This includes making sure that patients feel comfortable to ask questions.
2021 Apr 15;4:CD013495.
doi:10.1002/14651858.cd013495.pub2
Harvard Health Publishing.Going off antidepressants.
Maund E, Stuart B, Moore M, et al.Managing antidepressant discontinuation: a systematic review.Ann Fam Med.
2019;17(1):52-60. doi:10.1370/afm.2336
