Withdrawal risk from coming off antidepressants

Millions warned they face ‘severe’ side-effects

‘We must do something’

MILLIONS of people face severe side-effects when trying to come off antidepressants, a major review has concluded.

For years, health officials have played down the difficulty of withdrawing from such drugs, insisting sideeffects were ‘mild’ and lasted no more than a week or so.

But a review of medical evidence today shows 56 per cent suffer withdrawal effects if they try to come off the drugs.

The worst-hit experience nausea, anxiety, insomnia and agitation – with many put back on antidepressants because doctors mistake the symptoms for a relapse of depression itself.

The findings support a petition lodged at Holyrood calling for better recognition of the problem and support for patients. The Scottish Government has set up a working group to examine the issue.

The study is published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviours. Its findings suggest that of the 900,000 Scots prescribed antidepressants, almost half a million are at risk of withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to come off the pills.

A record number of antidepressants were prescribed in Scotland last year to 877,453 patients – 17 per cent of the population. This is an increase of 38 per cent since 2010.

The scientists behind the review, of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence, called for guidelines by NHS watchdog NICE, which are followed by doctors in England and can be in Scotland, to be rewritten.

Researcher Dr James Davies, of the University of Roehampton, said: ‘This review of the research reveals what many patients have known for years – withdrawal from antidepressants often causes severe, debilitating symptoms which can last for weeks, months or longer.

‘NICE guidelines fail to acknowledge how common withdrawal is and wrongly suggest it usually resolves within one week. This leads many doctors to misBrown diagnose withdrawal symptoms, often as relapse, resulting in much unnecessary and harmful long-term prescribing.’

The findings have been submitted to Public Health England, which is reviewing prescription pill dependency. Scottish Government officials are observing the review.

NICE said it was already reviewing its guidance.

Psychotherapist Marion instigated the Holyrood petition after seeing a surge in patients with problems withdrawing from antidepressants at her clinic in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire .

She said: ‘This research comes as no surprise. We must do something about it, we can’t go on putting people on antidepressants and starting them down this road, it’s dangerous.’

Annie Wells, Scottish Tory mental health spokesman, said: ‘This is an important piece of research which needs to be investigated further.

‘Studies like this really focus our minds on investigating alternatives.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We are committed to providing the right support to people as early as possible.

‘We are convening a working group, comprising leading experts, which will discuss drug prescribing which may be habit-forming and examine prescribing trends in Scotland.’

A league table of antidepressant last year put the UK fourth of the 29 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, up from seventh in 2000.