How to Avoid Symptoms of SSRI Withdrawal

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Men and women taking antidepressants have been increasing but recent news regarding problems for quitting antidepressants has surprised many. Most people who are using these mood stabilizers are afraid of stopping their medications because of such news. Continuing the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for a long time may also bring about different changes in the body. There have been different studies made to be able know the truth behind these claims of several users having problems of discontinuation. As these medications help in “managing depression in diabetic patients“, it may prove to be difficult for them to undergo discontinuation syndrome.

Preventing the occurrence of these symptoms is the focus of most psychiatrists. Being aware enables the person to decide on what his fate may be. Several patients have started to have a phobia in using these medications because of their past experiences. There are also some factors to consider before decreasing the dose because each person has a different reaction to these drugs.

Here are two things to remember to avoid undergoing withdrawal symptoms:

  • Do not stop your SSRI medication abruptly. Most SSRIs have a short half-life, for example Zoloft has a half-life of 26 hours. Thus, when a person lets a day pass by without taking it, the amount of Zoloft that remains in the body will just be 50 percent. That is why after a day without taking it, most people would immediately feel the symptoms.
  • Taper the dose slowly with the supervision of a licensed health care provider. Most people tend to decrease the dose on their own. Some may be successful while others are not. A health care provider may be able to find the right amount of dosage to be removed without triggering its negative effects. Know more about discontinuing Zoloft at this site.

URL References:

apt.rcpsych.org/content/13/6/447.full#ref-13
priory.com/psych/panes.htm
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12926179
phobias.about.com/u/ua/medication/ssridiscontinuationua.01.htm

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