More than 1 in 10 people in the United States take an antidepressant. And the most
commonly prescribed type of antidepressant are SSRIs — or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. That includes drugs like Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro. But what happens when some patients decide they want to stop taking their SSRIs? While doctors know stopping SSRIs can sometimes cause unpleasant short-term side effects – like dizziness, anxiety, insomnia and nausea – some people report symptoms that last months, even years. So, with investigative reporter
Emily Corwin and professor of clinical psychology
Michael Hengartner, we’re diving into the research around the long-term effects of going off your antidepressants – what it shows and its limits.
Read more of Emily Corwin’s reporting on the topic here. Want more stories on mental health? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices:
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