Nearly half of Britons taking antidepressants could stop taking them now with the help of a doctor and avoid the harms of long-term use, according to a new study.
Researchers, including from the University of Southampton, found that up to 45 percent of people in the study stopped antidepressants after consulting a doctor, and some were able to do so after a telephone or online consultation.
Patients who were able to access online support and counseling by telephone had lower rates of depression, fewer withdrawal symptoms when stopping antidepressants, and better reported mental health.
Psychiatrists have long warned that inadequate antidepressant treatment could lead to harmful long-term side effects, including sexual problems, body weight changes and emotional numbness.
The use of antidepressants is soaring globally, with more than 10 per cent of adults in high-income countries like the UK now taking them for depression.
As more people seek antidepressants for depression, researchers warned that maintaining treatment for longer periods was only recommended for those at high risk of relapse.
The study, published in the journal Open Jama Network, evaluated 330 adults taking antidepressants for more than a year for a first episode of depression or for two years for recurrent depression. About 180 of them were included in the intervention arm and had access to the Internet and telephone counseling, while the rest were in the control arm of the study.
Participants were well enough to consider discontinuation and were at low risk of relapse, according to the study.
Within six months, 45 percent of patients in the intervention group were willing to stop taking their antidepressants compared to 40 percent in the control group. Those in the intervention group also showed less severe antidepressant withdrawal symptoms.
Psychological support reduced withdrawal symptoms and improved mental health. The differences were “small but significant,” the researchers said.
Stopping antidepressants appeared to be safer than previously thought, as long as patients were monitored for relapses and their treatment could be restarted quickly, the researchers said.
“Review by a family doctor for possible discontinuation of antidepressants appeared safe and effective for more than 40 percent of patients who were willing and able to stop,” they said.
Scientists called for the creation of a national helpline to help those who want to stop antidepressant medications.
