- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin has been a member of the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College, and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and psychogenomics. He has served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999.
"With the advent of the genomics and proteomics revolution and the pace of advances in medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
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Question
Antidepressant withdrawal: Is there such a thing?
If you stop taking antidepressants, could you experience antidepressant withdrawal? Do withdrawal symptoms mean you were addicted to the drug?
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Antidepressant withdrawal is possible if you abruptly stop antidepressant therapy after taking the medication for an extended period — usually longer than six weeks. Signs and symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal are sometimes referred to as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.
Signs and symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal may include:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Sadness
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
To minimize the risk of antidepressant withdrawal, consult your doctor before you change the dosage or stop antidepressant therapy. Your doctor may recommend gradually tapering off the dosage for a number of weeks to allow your brain to adapt to the absence of the drug.
It's important to note that adjustment doesn't mean addiction. Antidepressants aren't considered addictive substances. Addiction represents harmful, long-term chemical changes in the brain. These changes can lead to tolerance, physical dependence and uncontrollable cravings. Withdrawal from an addictive substance is a very different phenomenon from withdrawal from antidepressants — which are simply drugs designed to restore normal chemical balance in the brain.
Keep in mind that it's sometimes difficult to differentiate between withdrawal symptoms and re-emergence of depression after you stop taking an antidepressant. Keep your doctor informed of your signs and symptoms. If necessary, your doctor may recommend resuming antidepressant therapy.
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