New Delhi: Gradual reduction of antidepressants together with psychological support can be an effective strategy to stop medication among adults who have recovered from depression, according to a study on Friday.

Antidepressants are typically recommended to be taken for six to nine months after a first episode of moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety disorders to prevent relapse.

But there are concerns about overprescribing, long-term use, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuation, which underscore the need for evidence-based deprescribing strategies.

To understand, researchers from the University of Verona in Italy conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 76 randomised controlled trials involving 17,379 adults.

The findings, published in The Lancet Psychiatry

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