Conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the incidence and severity of withdrawal symptoms following discontinuation of antidepressants

This study will be a systematic review (a rigorous review of existing studies) and meta-analysis, where the results of the studies found in the systematic review are examined and their findings summarised.

This systematic review aims to explore discontinuation symptoms (e.g., physical and psychological symptoms attributed to the withdrawal of medication) after discontinuation of antidepressant medications (i.e., medications prescribed to treat mainly symptoms of anxiety and depression). Antidepressants are commonly used for a range of conditons. However, the topic of antidepressant withdrawal remains controversial and more research is needed to explore this. Although there is a large number of studies assessing antidepressant withdrawal, existing systematic reviews include a limited number of studies or survey data. This research will help us understand whether antidepressants can cause withdrawal reactions. It is also important to explore not only the prevalence of withdrawal symptoms for different antidepressant medications, but also assess the duration and severity of these symptoms. Findings from this research will be used to inform patient decisions and clinical guidelines regarding antidepressants.