Warning to anyone taking antidepressants for more than two years

A NEW STUDY HAS SOUNDED THE ALARM OVER THE RISKS OF TAKING ANTIDEPRESSANTS FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS 23:59, 21 May 2025 Experts have issued a warning to anyone who has taken antidepressants

for more than two years. Antidepressants, used to treat depression and other mental health disorders, are taken by more than 8.7million people in England, NHS figures show. The drugs are

thought to boost mood by increasing levels of serotonin – our 'happiness hormone' – in the brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most widely prescribed

type of antidepressants. They include drugs like fluoxetine, citalopram, and sertraline. While some people report side effects like anxiety, nausea and indigestion after first taking the

drugs, antidepressants are also known to cause withdrawal symptoms when people stop taking the drug. Now, a new study has revealed that common withdrawal effects, such as anxiety, worsened

mood, agitation and fatigue, are 10 times more likely in people who have been taking antidepressants for more than two years compared to short-term users. The research, conducted by

scientists at University College London (UCL), found that long-term users also tend to experience worse withdrawal symptoms, and for a longer period of time, than short-term users. People

who have taken antidepressants for more than two years are also less likely to be able to stop taking the drug when they attempt to do so, according to the findings. The study’s lead author

Dr Mark Horowitz, visiting clinical researcher at UCL Division of Psychiatry, said: "Our findings confirm what many researchers have long suspected, that the likelihood of experiencing

withdrawal symptoms when coming off antidepressants is largely determined by duration of use. "While coming off antidepressants can be easier for people who have only taken them for a

short period of time, these drugs are commonly used for a long time." Half of people in the UK who take antidepressants have taken the medication for at least a year, according to Dr

Horowitz. The study looked at survey responses from 310 people in England who had seen NHS primary care therapy services and who had at one point attempted to stop taking their prescribed

antidepressant. Some 38 per cent of the entire group said they were unable to stop antidepressants when they tried to do so. However, among those who had been taking antidepressants for two

years or more, this figure rose to 79 per cent. Further analysis revealed that how long someone had been taking an antidepressant was a major determining factor for the severity and duration

of withdrawal effects, and whether someone was able to stop taking the medication. The researchers say that these differences between short-term and long-term users were not explained by

the severity of the underlying mental health disorder. The odds of experiencing any withdrawal effects were 10 times greater for those who had been on antidepressants for more than two

years, compared to those who had been taking them for less than six months, the study found. Dr Horowitz said: "This is one reason to use antidepressants for no longer than necessary –

because doing so may make it harder to stop using them later on." Article continues below The researchers stress that, when coming off antidepressants, tapering the dose is beneficial

and could mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Senior author Professor Joanna Moncrieff at the UCL Division of Psychiatry said: "Withdrawal symptoms are commonly experienced by people coming

off antidepressants, so we would advise that people who want to stop taking the medication should do so in consultation with an informed health professional." The research was published

in the journal _Psychiatry Research_.