Psychiatric News (12/12) reported a systematic review and meta-analysis of 76 clinical trials found that “when it comes to preventing depression or anxiety relapse, slowly tapering off an antidepressant while receiving psychological support is comparable to remaining on the medication.” Researchers observed that “slow tapering with support and medication continuation both reduced relapse risk by about 50% compared with abrupt discontinuation – with moderate evidence to support the finding. Dose reduction reduced relapse risk by 38% compared with abrupt discontinuation, though this approach was supported by low levels of evidence.” Furthermore, “slow tapering without support and fast tapering with or without support were not superior to abrupt discontinuation.” The review was published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Slow Tapering of Medication and Psychological Support Limits Depression Relapse, Psychiatric News, December 12, 2025