Getting Stuck on Antidepressants

Available for over a year

We were once told that antidepressants could transform our lives with few downsides; now, we know that many people struggle to come off them and there’s evidence the longer you stay on an antidepressant, the harder you might find it to stop. In England alone, it's estimated that 8 million adults were prescribed the drugs last year – a majority of them are women. One study found after three years on antidepressants, a quarter of people will get withdrawal symptoms which the researchers described as moderate or severe. One of the few places patients can turn to is a specialist helpline called the Bristol Tranquilliser Project, which takes calls from people all over the UK. But it is closing down because the local NHS has pulled its funding. In this episode of our 5 Question On podcast, Michael Daventry asks the BBC's Health and Disinformation Reporter Rachel Schraer how our understanding of antidepressants has changed over the decades – and what options patients have today. (Image: Getty Images)