Anna King shares her story of prolonged withdrawal symptoms after stopping antidepressants. She highlights the lack of recognition and understanding surrounding 'protracted withdrawal' and calls for healthcare professionals to take the issue more seriously.
Anna King was told coming off antidepressants could be done over 10 days – but that advice led to devastating withdrawal symptoms . 'Protracted withdrawal' from antidepressant medication is not yet well-understood or recognised – but doctors and patients are looking to change that. In 2006, Anna King was involved in family court proceedings that caused severe stress and trauma. When she was prescribed antidepressants to help her cope, she was initially unsure.
“I was hesitant about taking an antidepressant and sought information from my psychiatrist about their safety,” she says. “I was told that they were safe and could be stopped at any time.” But King, who lives in Adelaide, says the advice was wrong. She is still coming off a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. The process has seen her suffer severe withdrawal symptoms, she says, causing “profound suffering, disability and losses” in her life. While some people will experience days or weeks of withdrawal symptoms when they wean off their antidepressants, and others experience no withdrawal symptoms at all, King is experiencing a phenomenon known as “protracted withdrawal” – sometimes also referred to as “post-acute withdrawal syndrome”. People suffering protracted withdrawal suffer symptoms that may persist for months or even years, long after the antidepressant has left their system. In 2022-23, 1,269 antidepressant prescriptions were issued for every 1,000 Australians. The country has among the highest rate of antidepressant use per capita of OECD countries. There is ‘The terror I experienced during these years was so profound, I felt like I was being suffocated by my own skin,’ … Anna King.– say Australian healthcare professionals need to be taking the issue of protracted withdrawal more seriousl
Antidepressants Withdrawal Symptoms Protracted Withdrawal Mental Health Healthcare
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