- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin, board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, is a St. Louis native looking to the Internet as a way to help people improve their health and be more active participants in their own health care by learning from Mayo Clinic's experts.
Dr. Hall-Flavin served on the faculties of Cornell University Medical College, New York Medical College and The George Washington University Medical School before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 1996. He has special interests in adult psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, pharmacogenetics and personalized medicine. He served as medical director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence from 1986 to 1999, and is currently involved in translational medicine research involving the introduction of pharmacogenetic technology into the daily practice of community psychiatry.
"With the advent of pharmacogenetics and related fields and the advances in translational medicine, informed collaborative relationships between knowledgeable, capable health professionals and informed, proactive individuals and their families are more vital than ever," he said.
"I'm optimistic that our Internet health education activities will contribute to ever-improving health outcomes for all who participate and apply what is learned."
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Question
Antidepressant withdrawal: Is there such a thing?
If you stop taking antidepressants, could you experience antidepressant withdrawal? Do withdrawal symptoms mean you were addicted to the drug?
Answer
from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D.
Antidepressant withdrawal is possible if you abruptly stop taking an antidepressant, particularly if you've been taking it longer than six weeks. Symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal are sometimes called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.
Quitting an antidepressant suddenly may cause symptoms such as:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Return of depression symptoms
Certain antidepressants are more likely to cause withdrawal symptoms than others. If you have any concerns about withdrawal symptoms, talk with your doctor.
Having antidepressant withdrawal symptoms doesn't mean you're addicted to an antidepressant. Addiction represents harmful, long-term chemical changes in the brain. It's characterized by intense cravings and the inability to control your use of a substance. Antidepressants don't cause these issues, and you can't become addicted to them.
To minimize the risk of antidepressant withdrawal, talk with your doctor before you stop taking an antidepressant. Your doctor may recommend that you gradually reduce the dose of your antidepressant for several weeks to allow your brain to adapt to the absence of the drug.
In some cases, another antidepressant or other type of medication is prescribed on a short-term basis to help ease symptoms as your body adjusts. If you're switching from one type of antidepressant to another, your doctor may have you start taking the new one before you completely stop taking the original medication.
It's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between withdrawal symptoms and returning depression symptoms after you stop taking an antidepressant. Keep your doctor informed of your signs and symptoms. If your depression symptoms return, your doctor may recommend that you begin taking an antidepressant again or that you get other treatment.
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- Bilden EF. Discontinuation syndrome. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00149-3--s0220&uniq=208064605&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=1020530632#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00149-3--s0220%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05472-0. Accessed July 2, 2010.
- Warner CH, et al. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. American Family Physician. 2006;74:449.
- Hirsch M, et al. Antidepressant medication in adults: Switching and discontinuing medication. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 2, 2010.
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