SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome - a Patient's Experience

SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome occurs when patients stop taking their SSRI medications abruptly and the central nervous system appears to go through a period of withdrawals because it has gotten used to the presence of psychoactive medications such as Paxil, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta, and Zoloft.

When I was was diagnosed with depression, I went through a variety of different medications that simply did not work for me. Eventually, my doctor prescribed Paxil CR to treat my depression. While taking Paxil CR, I experienced a decline in my overall mood and behavior, such as sudden outbursts, suicidal thoughts, and an abundance of crying for no apparent reason. Occasionally, I experienced short, split-second blackouts accompanied by a sort of electric shock sensation - imagine the sensation you get while holding a 9-volt battery to your tongue only 10 times worse. I attempted to explain this to my physician, but she looked at me like I had two heads.

At some point, probably during a moment of what I thought was clear thinking, I had convinced myself that I had been misdiagnosed and stopped taking Paxil abruptly. In a matter of 24 hours, the brain zapping got worse and I began experiencing increased blackouts. After doing some research, I found a slew of patients who were experiencing the same sensation. In fact, it has a name, SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) Discontinuation Syndrome, also known as SSRI Withdrawal Syndrome.

Symptoms of SSRI Withdrawal:

1. Brain Zaps (also called brain shivers, head shocks, brain shocks - An electric shock-like sensation)
2. Dizziness
3. Sweating
4. Insomnia
5. Nausea
6. Confusion
7. Vertigo
8. Tremors
9. Blurred vision
10. Irritability, Aggression and hostility
11. Sleep disturbances and/or Insomnia
12. Repetitive thoughts and songs
13. Depression worsens
14. Jittery nerves
15. Headaches
16. Flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and chills
17. Vivid dreams
18. Thoughts of suicide

Preventing SSRI Withdrawal Syndrome:

There is no sure-fire way to prevent SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome; however, to safely come off of one of the SSRI medications, you should gradually decrease your dosage. This could take days, weeks, or even months to accomplish, which was my experience. Even with gradual decrease of medication, there is a possibility that you will experience some symptoms of withdrawal.

If you are thinking about discontinuing Paxil or one of the other SSRI's, discuss it with you doctor first so that he or she can advise you on proper dosages as you begin to wean yourself off of the medication(s). Going cold turkey seems to make the symptoms of withdrawal worse than simply allowing time to come off the drug gradually.