One in seven Australians is currently on SSRIs, commonly known as antidepressants like Lexapro. While these medications have significantly advanced the treatment of depression and anxiety, their discontinuation poses a substantial challenge, often underestimated by outdated guidelines.

Withdrawal symptoms can range from physical discomforts like flu-like headaches and dizziness to puzzling ‘brain zaps,’ not to mention the emotional ups and downs.

Alicia Martin is a pharmacist from Canberra leading the creation of TaperMate, an app that will make this transition smoother.

“There actually are guidelines, but they’re completely out of date,” Martin explains.

She points out that existing product information often suggests a two to four-week tapering period based on studies conducted over short durations of six to twelve weeks.

“There’s a big difference between the experience of someone who’s been taking medication for four years and someone who’s been taking it for six weeks.”

The withdrawal process can also lead to misinterpretation of withdrawal symptoms as a relapse, prompting individuals to resume or even increase their medication dosage.

New deprescribing guidelines from the UK offer have been updated.

Martin’s TaperMate app empowers users to plan and track their tapering process, record symptoms, and generate reports for their doctors, fostering a comprehensive approach to medication management.

“Psychological therapy is the gold standard,” Martin said, explaining the limitations of medication. “But it’s expensive, and it can have long wait times. That’s an area where the government could actually sort of step in and make things a bit easier for people.”

Additionally, the need for more liquid antidepressant formulations in Australia is critical for enabling more precise and gradual tapering.

Martin’s final advice to those considering tapering off their antidepressants is to engage in thorough research and dialogue with their healthcare providers.

“It would probably be a good idea to do a bit of your own research on the topic before you go to that appointment.”

Please see www.survivingantidepressants.org/ for further information.