If you’ve ever tried to stop an antidepressant and felt like your brain was short-circuiting, you’re not alone.
Pharmacist Phil Cowley, known online as @philsmypharmacist, has warned that some antidepressants cause “horrific withdrawal symptoms” — including nausea, dizziness, and what many describe as “electric shocks in the brain.” One drug, Venlafaxine (Efexor), is so difficult to quit that Cowley admits, “I’d never start it. The withdrawals can last months.”
He also named Paroxetine (Seroxat) and Duloxetine (Cymbalta) among the hardest to stop, saying they can cause nightmares, shaking, and crushing fatigue if doses are missed. One patient shared, “If I forget even one pill, my whole world crashes down.”
More than seven million Britons rely on antidepressants today — but many have no idea how hard coming off them can be.
💬 Mental health deserves compassion — not judgment. If you or someone you love is struggling, never face it alone.
