Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome

When a person takes medicine to help them feel better from depression, sometimes they can experience some strange feelings when they stop taking the medicine. This is called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

Think of it like when you have a toy that you love to play with every day, and then one day you have to leave it at home when you go on vacation. You might feel sad or upset because you can't play with your toy. This is kind of like what happens when you stop taking antidepressants.

When a person stops taking antidepressants, their brain can have a hard time adjusting to not having the medicine. This can cause them to feel dizzy, tired, or have trouble sleeping. Some people might feel like something is crawling under their skin or have strange mood swings.

It's important to talk to a doctor if you're taking antidepressants and want to stop taking them. They can help you come up with a plan to slowly reduce the amount of medicine you take, so that your brain can adjust more slowly and you're less likely to have these strange feelings.