Almost half of long-term antidepressant users ‘could quit with GP support’

[Mij]

UK researchers say study shows stopping use of the drugs is possible at scale without costly therapy.

Almost half of long-term antidepressant users could stop taking the medication with GP support and access to internet or telephone helplines, a study suggests.

Scientists said more than 40% of people involved in the research who were well and not at risk of relapse managed to come off the drugs with advice from their doctors.

They also discovered that patients who could access online support and psychologists by phone had lower rates of depression, fewer withdrawal symptoms and reported better mental wellbeing.

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[NelliePledge]

If people have situational depression and there’s no control over the situation it may be necessary to be on anti depressants for longer term than 2 years. In my case I had minor depression for a decade and once my parent with very severe dementia eventually died I actually proposed to my GP coming off fluoxetine within weeks

but I did it over 6 months unlike the six weeks suggested by the GP I had no effects.

I also had self funded counselling all that time. Possibly I didn’t need fluoxetine but I needed the counselling.