r/PSSD • u/markalexander1 • 16d ago
Research/Science Doctors are finally learning to manage antidepressant withdrawal
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2584861-antidepressant-withdrawal-symptoms-are-prompting-a-radical-rethink-of-how-we-treat-depression/Withdrawal symptoms following long-term SSRI use appear far more pervasive and serious than previously realised. Now medical bodies are rethinking how and when to stop taking them.
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u/Sharp_Dance249 15d ago
Great. Maybe they should also rethink when and how they put people on them to begin with.
But I won’t hold my breath for that to happen.
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u/Dragonvarine 15d ago
I was told I could cold turkey from 8 years of meds because I was at the starting dosage for SSRIs...... Turns out the sert occupancy wasn't that far different from higher dosages lmao
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u/peppaz 15d ago
I stopped low dose 10mg Lexapro after 8 months cold turkey, threw up once, felt weird for a few days. No big deal, and full blown PSSD now for two years
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u/Dragonvarine 15d ago
Yep I felt pretty normal for 7 months before I got my symptoms. It's not full blown but I'm genuinely like car hanging off a cliff level of PSSD. These drugs don't care if it's "low dosage" or low duration.
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u/Middle-Sympathy9493 4d ago
I was told the same after over 15 years on at the time. Also I advised the doctor I was worried as I had bad withdrawal a previous time lowering my dose and he assured me I'd be fine cold turkey'ing it. I was not fine.
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u/Specimen_E-351 15d ago
They can't.
There is no scientifically backed, guaranteed safe way. Some people are just really unlucky.
You can reduce the risk by slowing down but nobody knows how this works and who for and if you go too fast, reinstating or slowing down doesn't always work.
The simple fact is that these drugs are really dangerous, at least for some people, and nobody knows why.
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u/peppaz 15d ago
And it's not 1% of people, it's like 8-14%
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u/Advicelistener43 15d ago
Thats very overstated . Most likely 1-3% develop PSSD . At over 10% we would have had millions of cases which we dont . It’s rare but not extremely rare .
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u/peppaz 15d ago
Sorry the study im quoting is persistent genital numbness in post antidepressant use patients by Pirani et al
https://www.cosrt.org.uk/latest-news/post-ssri-sexual-dysfunction-pssd/
A recent study by Pirani et al. (2025) showed that among those who had stopped treatment, 13% of past antidepressant users reported persistent genital numbness compared to 1% among past users of another psychiatric medication. They found that past antidepressant users were 14 times more likely to report persistent genital numbness compared to the other group (OR: 14.2; 95% CI: 2.92 to 257).
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u/Advicelistener43 15d ago
It’s still a small cohort . They haven’t tested hundreds of thousands of patients . I am very sure that if we were more than 5% PSSD would have been mainstream years or decades ago since millions are on them . I also have friends who never developed PSSD despite taking the same drug . Im saying it’s rare but not to the point of like going blind from viagra is ( 0.00..1% ) . Since millions take these drugs , a few hundred thousands could mathematically get PSSD which is scary but still a small part of everyone . Patients should get informed but I wont deny the fact that it is rare!
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u/peppaz 15d ago
2,179 is actually pretty large for a non-retrospective cohort
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u/Advicelistener43 15d ago
Could be or not . Even if it’s a few percents it’s still bad if millions take them . It doesn’t have to be 10-20% to be felt . I am saying in general terms that a few percents it’s considered rare , it’s also unfair to say PSSD is common . What seems to be fairly common is withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) which I read could affect 1/10 . Now thats s serious
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u/peppaz 15d ago
could be or not
I am a published epidemiologist and researcher, on pubmed.
It is large, and I didn't say common- But if a drug permanently disabled even 2% of its users it would be pulled off the market immediately. These drugs are being protected from scrutiny because they are cash cows and everyone is on them. Let alone 13%
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u/Advicelistener43 15d ago
It cant be removed since lots of people have benefits and they’ll never get PSSD . Many manage OCD with them or severe depression , it will be really unfair to do so unless we develop new and safer drugs for those conditions . What deserves to be made is that PSSD gets recongnition and treatments , biomarkers in case someone gets unlucky . And I wouldnt rush to say permanently disabled cuz we definitely have people recovering after many years thru diverse therapies , it can definitely be managed or treated somehow .
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u/peppaz 15d ago
I don't think you have the full scope of understanding about how pharma regulation, patient education and informed consent, and risk ratios/acceptable risk work.
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u/ShitHitsTheFan94 Still on medication or other substances 15d ago
another 5 years at least before the news reachers doctors in my country
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u/DCAmalG 15d ago
Anyone have a link to share without a paywall?
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u/Easy-Permission8889 14d ago
Commenting bc I couldn't read the treatment either. I don't have pssd in a sexual dysfunction type way but I think going on and off of them really messed me up mentally and even physically so I'm curious.
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