Stopping Antidepressant drugs When taken for six weeks or longer, antidepressants should not be stopped suddenly as they have the potential to cause withdrawal symptoms. These can include dizziness, anxiety and agitation, insomnia, flu-like symptoms, diarrhoea, nausea and low mood. Unfortunately all the antidepressants may cause side-effects. If a particular side-effect is still troublesome after a few weeks, there is usually an alternative drug you can try. These affect mood by stimulating brain cells.
Antidepressants increase the level of certain important neurotransmitters.
Tricyclics Tricyclics act by blocking the re-uptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline, thereby increasing levels at their receptors. SSRI s act by blocking the re-uptake of only one neurotransmitter, serotonin.