Antidepressant (SSRI/SNRI) Withdrawal: The Complete Guide

Published by Joseph, EditorCompiled from cited sources · not yet medically reviewedUpdated Oct 29, 20264 sources

Need help now? SAMHSA’s National Helpline is free, confidential and open 24/7 in English and Spanish: 1-800-662-4357. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911.

For information only, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before stopping or changing any medication. Medical disclaimer

Quick answer

Stopping or cutting down an antidepressant can cause withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, electric-shock sensations (‘brain zaps’), anxiety, irritability, sleep problems, nausea, sweating and headaches. NICE says symptoms may appear within a few days of reducing or stopping and usually go away within 1 to 2 weeks, but withdrawal can sometimes be more difficult, lasting several weeks, and occasionally several months. Symptoms can be severe, particularly if the medicine is stopped suddenly.

How common is it? A 2024 meta-analysis of 79 studies (about 21,000 patients) found that 31% of people stopping an antidepressant reported at least one discontinuation symptom, compared with 17% of people stopping a placebo. Allowing for the placebo effect, the authors estimated about 1 in 6 to 7 people have true discontinuation symptoms, and about 3% have severe symptoms. The Royal College of Psychiatrists puts the figure higher, at between a third and half of people. NICE and the NHS both say to talk to your prescriber before stopping, and that the dose is usually reduced in stages (tapering).

Antidepressant withdrawal timeline at a glance

When did you last use or take it?

This places the typical ranges from this article's sources on your date. It is not a prediction or a diagnosis, and being past a phase does not mean symptoms or risks are over.

A rough guide from published sources, not medical advice. Everyone is different.

Phase	When	What you may feel	Severity	Red flags
Onset	Within a few days of reducing or stopping (later with fluoxetine)	Dizziness, unsteadiness or vertigo; Electric-shock sensations (‘brain zaps’); Anxiety, irritability, tearfulness or low mood; Nausea, sweating, headache, tiredness	Mild	Suicidal thoughts: call or text 988 now
Typical course	For most people, symptoms go away within about 1 to 2 weeks	Sleep problems and vivid or frightening dreams; Mood swings, panic or anxiety surges; Flu-like aches in joints and muscles; Palpitations	Mild	Dizziness so bad you can’t stand without help: contact your prescriber
Longer withdrawal (some people)	Several weeks, occasionally several months; the Royal College of Psychiatrists says sometimes more than a year	Symptoms that persist or come in waves; Symptoms that start weeks after stopping in some reports; Severe symptoms in a minority, especially after sudden stopping	Moderate	Symptoms that are severe or not improving: talk to your prescriber about restarting or slowing down

Print a daily symptom log for this timeline · My quit tracker

Symptoms, phase by phase

NICE lists these possible withdrawal symptoms: unsteadiness, vertigo or dizziness; altered sensations such as electric-shock feelings; irritability, anxiety, low mood, tearfulness, panic attacks, irrational fears, confusion and, very rarely, suicidal thoughts; restlessness or agitation; sleep problems; sweating; nausea; and palpitations, tiredness, headaches and aches in joints and muscles. The Royal College of Psychiatrists adds vivid or frightening dreams, a feeling that things aren’t real, ‘cotton wool in your head’, and akathisia (an inner restlessness and inability to keep still). Brain zaps can be worse when you turn your head. Read more on our brain zaps page.

Onset: Within a few days of reducing or stopping (later with fluoxetine)

Dizziness, unsteadiness or vertigo
Electric-shock sensations (‘brain zaps’)
Anxiety, irritability, tearfulness or low mood
Nausea, sweating, headache, tiredness

Typical course: For most people, symptoms go away within about 1 to 2 weeks

Sleep problems and vivid or frightening dreams
Mood swings, panic or anxiety surges
Flu-like aches in joints and muscles
Palpitations

Longer withdrawal (some people): Several weeks, occasionally several months; the Royal College of Psychiatrists says sometimes more than a year

Symptoms that persist or come in waves
Symptoms that start weeks after stopping in some reports
Severe symptoms in a minority, especially after sudden stopping

Withdrawal or relapse? How to tell the difference

Some withdrawal symptoms feel like depression or anxiety returning. The Royal College of Psychiatrists and NICE point to some differences:

Clue	More likely withdrawal	More likely relapse
Timing	Within days of a dose change (later with fluoxetine)	Usually weeks or months after stopping
New sensations	Brain zaps, dizziness, ‘never felt this before’ symptoms	Symptoms like the ones you had before treatment
If the medicine is restarted	Usually improves quickly, within hours or days	Takes weeks, like when you first started

NICE says that relapse does not usually happen as soon as an antidepressant is stopped or lowered, and that even after restarting, withdrawal symptoms may take a few days to disappear. Your prescriber can help you work out which it is.

Withdrawal by medicine

NICE says withdrawal can happen with a wide range of antidepressants, including SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclics and MAOIs. Paroxetine and venlafaxine are more likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. The 2024 meta-analysis linked desvenlafaxine, venlafaxine, imipramine and escitalopram with more frequent symptoms, and imipramine, paroxetine and desvenlafaxine or venlafaxine with more severe symptoms. Fluoxetine lasts much longer in the body, so symptoms can start days or even weeks after a reduction. See our medicine-specific timelines:

Medicine	Type	Timeline
Sertraline (Zoloft)	SSRI	Zoloft withdrawal timeline
Escitalopram (Lexapro)	SSRI	Lexapro withdrawal timeline
Citalopram (Celexa)	SSRI	Celexa withdrawal timeline
Paroxetine (Paxil)	SSRI	Paxil withdrawal timeline
Fluoxetine (Prozac)	SSRI	Prozac withdrawal timeline
Venlafaxine (Effexor)	SNRI	Effexor withdrawal timeline
Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)	SNRI	Pristiq withdrawal timeline
Duloxetine (Cymbalta)	SNRI	Cymbalta withdrawal timeline
Mirtazapine (Remeron)	Other	Remeron withdrawal timeline
Vortioxetine (Trintellix)	Other	Trintellix withdrawal
Trazodone	Other	Trazodone withdrawal timeline
Bupropion (Wellbutrin)	Other	Wellbutrin withdrawal

What makes it more or less likely

Stopping suddenly or reducing quickly. Both NICE and the Royal College of Psychiatrists say this makes symptoms more likely and worse. Missing doses can also trigger them.
Higher dose and longer use. The NHS and the Royal College say longer use and higher doses may make withdrawal more difficult, though it can happen after short use too.
Which medicine. Shorter-acting medicines need slower tapering, according to NICE; paroxetine and venlafaxine carry higher risk.
Past withdrawal. The Royal College suggests reducing more slowly if you’ve had withdrawal symptoms before.
Hard to predict. The Royal College says we can’t yet predict who will get symptoms, or who will get severe ones.

When to see a doctor or get help now

Talk to your prescriber before stopping. The NHS advises not stopping an antidepressant suddenly or without talking to your doctor first.
Tell your prescriber if withdrawal symptoms are severe, aren’t improving, or are getting worse. NICE suggests that for more severe symptoms, restarting the previous dose and then reducing more slowly may be considered.
Call or text 988 (US) right away if you have thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
If an antidepressant has caused a serious side effect and has to be stopped suddenly, the Royal College advises seeing your prescriber immediately.

See Get Help for helplines.

Tapering

NICE recommends reducing the dose to zero in steps, each a proportion of the previous dose, using smaller reductions as the dose gets lower, and allowing 1 to 2 weeks to judge each reduction. The pace should be agreed with the person, with symptoms settled or tolerable before the next step. The Royal College says people who have taken antidepressants for many months or years may need to taper over months or longer, and some need to reach very low doses before stopping. Liquid forms can make smaller steps possible. For fluoxetine, NICE notes its long action means some people can step down differently. Withdrawal may take weeks or months to complete. We don’t publish dose-by-dose schedules: your prescriber or pharmacist can build a plan with you. Read more in our PAWS guide.

Tips for getting through it

Keep a simple daily symptom diary, so you and your prescriber can see whether a step was too big
Tell someone you trust that you’re tapering, so they can notice changes in your mood
Ask your prescriber how often you’ll be reviewed: NICE recommends monitoring during dose reduction

Frequently asked questions

How long does antidepressant withdrawal last?

For most people, NICE says symptoms appear within a few days and usually go away within 1 to 2 weeks. For some, they last several weeks, and occasionally several months. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says severe symptoms sometimes last more than a year.

What are brain zaps?

Brief electric-shock sensations in the head or limbs. They’re one of the most typical withdrawal symptoms and not usually something people felt before treatment. See our brain zaps page.

Which antidepressants are hardest to stop?

NICE singles out paroxetine and venlafaxine. A 2024 meta-analysis also linked desvenlafaxine, imipramine and escitalopram with more frequent or more severe symptoms.

Is it withdrawal or is my depression coming back?

Withdrawal tends to start within days of a dose change, can include new sensations like brain zaps, and usually improves quickly if the medicine is restarted. Relapse usually develops later, over weeks or months. Your prescriber can help you tell them apart.

Can I just stop my antidepressant?

The NHS advises against stopping suddenly or without talking to your doctor. Stopping abruptly makes withdrawal symptoms more likely and can make them severe.

Next steps

Talk to others going through it. Share your experience or ask questions on the Antidepressants & Other Prescriptions board in our community forum. Planning to stop? See the Tapering & Talking to Your Doctor board, and talk to a doctor before you stop. Forum posts are personal experiences, not medical advice. Please read the community guidelines.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 29, 2026. Researched and written by Withdrawal Timelines from the cited sources. This article has not yet been reviewed by a medical professional. See How We Review and our Medical Disclaimer. This is general information, not medical advice.

More timelines

View all