Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome

Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, also called antidepressant withdrawal, is a condition that can occur after switching, reducing, or discontinuing an antidepressant medication that has been taken continuously for at least a month. Symptoms can include dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, insomnia, nausea, poor balance, sensory changes described as brain zaps, emotional lability, rage, akathisia, intrusive thoughts, mania, anxiety, depression, and flu-like symptoms, with psychosis occurring rarely. Depending on the antidepressant's half-life, withdrawal can begin within days or weeks of stopping, though delayed onset can occur months later, and stopping too quickly can cause a protracted withdrawal injury lasting months or years.