The myth that antidepressants are addictive has been debunked – they are a vital tool in psychiatry | Carmine M Pariante

New research shows that severe withdrawal symptoms are far less common than thought. Depression needs treating

I have been prescribing antidepressants since 1991. Like most medications, they are imperfect tools: they have side-effects and don't work for everybody. Some patients report negative effects, or that their depression does not improve, and they may require changing to a different antidepressant. For those they do help, antidepressants undoubtedly improve depression and reduce the risk of suicide.

Very rarely, in my clinical practice, do patients complain that they cannot stop their medication because of the symptoms when they try. Unpleasant physical or emotional experiences for a few days or a couple of weeks after stopping antidepressants, yes: dizziness, headache, nausea, insomnia, irritability, vivid dreams, electricity-like sensations or rapid mood swings. But patients who could not stop the antidepressant because of these symptoms? In my 33 years of clinical practice, I can recall them on the fingers of one hand.

Carmine M Pariante is professor of biological psychiatry at King's College London. His research funding is provided mainly by UK and EU governments and charities. Any additional research funding from industry is publicly declared in the relevant scientific papers

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