More an more patients are being treated for mild/ moderate depression with #antidepressants in general practice, despite there being very poor evidence for efficacy. In my experience, some people experience a transient benefit between 4&12 weeks (likely placebo mediated) &

https://twitter.com/jdaviesphd/status/1361623469121810432

This transient (non specific) effect of taking antidepressants gradually wears off. Patients present back to their GP with similar symptoms or a variant of the same symptoms & most GPS simply up the dose, meanwhile none or little of the psychosocial distress is being addressed.

Further reflections & learning points from last nights expert panel discussion:

Withdrawal from psychotropic medications is a multifaceted, complex process - never do so cold turkey & try your utmost to find a dr to work with you with an open, flexible, slow tapering approach

https://twitter.com/cep_uk/status/1350164956742905857

2/ The importance of accurate language:

‘Discontinuation syndrome’ was a term coined by pharmaceutical companies in an effort to address (cover over) the issue of withdrawal effects & dependency forming nature that antidepressants can have in up to 50% of people.