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4 NEWS
22 AUGUST 2025 ausdoc. com. au
Doctors clash over risks of antidepressant withdrawal
A study has ignited debate over the frequency and severity of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms.
Jamie Thannoo PSYCHIATRY researchers claim the risks of antidepressant withdrawal are overblown after their JAMA Psychiatry study concluded the average patient did not have clinically significant symptoms.
The British team suggests that by focusing on the risks of deprescribing, doctors and journalists may have created a‘ nocebo’ effect, where patients have more side effects because they expect them.
However, Dr Mark Horowitz, who co-authored The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines, said the review and meta-analysis relied too heavily on short-term studies.
The review covered 50 studies but focused on 11 that mostly involved patients using antidepressants for 8-12 weeks.
It found that patients who stopped taking antidepressants had an average of one extra symptom— such as life, said the focus on short-term studies undermined the review’ s findings.
“ This focus on short-term studies has caused all the trouble, all the mismatch between the serious issues that long-term users report and what previous guidelines said,” he said.
He called the claim that severe side effects were rare“ a zombie that won’ t die”.
His view had support from UK psychologist Associate Professor James Davies, who led a review that found 56 % of patients experienced withdrawal effects and 25 % had severe symptoms.
“ By drawing global conclusions from shortterm trials, this study distorts the reality of withdrawal and downplays the real challenges faced by patients,” said Professor Davies, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Roehampton.
JAMA Psychiatry 2025; 9 Jul.
‘ This focus on short-term studies has caused all the trouble.’
depression relapse or dizziness— compared with patients who continued treatment or who withdrew from placebo.
The rate of symptoms was below the cut-off for clinically significant discontinuation syndrome based on the Discontinuation Emergent Signs and Symptoms scale, the team led by King’ s College London said.
“ Despite previous concern about stopping antidepressants, our work finds that most people do not experience severe withdrawal, in terms of additional symptoms,” said senior author Dr Sameer Jauhar, a psychiatrist.
The team acknowledged that many studies were shortterm but said the findings“ cast a degree of doubt on the need for routine use of longer-term tapering regimens”.
“ Acknowledgment of the burden of discontinuation effects is crucial. Nevertheless, it is important that professional practice and media narratives surrounding discontinuation effects are proportionate.”
Dr Horowitz, who had described his own experiences coming off antidepressants as the most hellish period of his
Dr Mark Horowitz.
MP thanks doctor who amputated her leg
AAP |
Carmel Sparke AS Labor MP Ali France delivered her maiden |
out-of-control car pinned her against another vehicle, crushing her left leg. |
“ Martin’ s split-second decision, though, to amputate my leg with a makeshift tourniquet, |
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speech in Parliament in July, two surgeons |
“ Everyone in my life remembers the day I |
saved me and ensured my kids had their mum.” |
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watched on from the public gallery. |
was supposed to die,” she told Parliament. |
Ms France said she left the hospital“ deter- |
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The new MP warmly thanked the pair— the |
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mined to head on down to that leg shop, buy a |
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trauma surgeon who saved her life, Professor Martin Wullschleger, and the orthopaedic surgeon who helped her to walk again, Adjunct Clinical Professor Munjed Al Muderis.
Without both, Ms France said she would not have had the chance to unseat then Coa-
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‘ Everyone in my life remembers the day I was supposed to die.’ |
leg, put it on, and walk off into the sunset”. However, still struggling after six surgeries, she eventually turned to Professor Al Muderis and became“ osseointegration patient number 26”.
“ The surgery was groundbreaking, risky, and my only option,” Ms France said.
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lition leader Peter Dutton in May’ s federal |
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“ I’ ve now been walking for 11 years with a |
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election. |
“ I lived thanks to trauma surgeon Professor |
little help from my wheelchair. |
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This month, Professor Al Muderis lost his |
Martin Wullschleger and his team at the Royal |
“ I am so grateful you stepped outside of the |
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defamation case following a series of media |
Brisbane hospital, and the bravery of strangers |
boundaries of what was thought to be medi- |
Ali France delivering her maiden speech. |
claims alleging some patients had been harmed by his negligent surgery.
Ms France’ s life changed in 2011 when an
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at the scene … Eric and Joe, the two young men who pulled the car off me, and without whom I wouldn’ t be here. |
cally possible at that time.“ I literally would not be standing here today without you.” |