More than half of the people suffering from chronic depression who tried to discontinue antidepressants relapsed by the end of one year, compared to those who did not stop their antidepressant medication, suggested a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Quality-of-life measures and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and medication withdrawal were found to be worse in those who stopped their medication. However, the researchers also noted that a small percentage of individuals could successfully discontinue their antidepressant therapy without having another depressive episode.

The study included 478 individuals from 150 primary care practices in the UK. All participants had experienced at least two depressive episodes or had been taking antidepressant medication for two years or more. All of them felt well enough to discontinue their medication… (CNN, September 30, 2021)