The most likely cause of brain zaps was abrupt discontinuation of the medication, but gradual tapering had only a partial mitigating effect. This finding mirrors the frequency distribution of all withdrawal effects versus antidepressant prescriptions written as reported in the literature. Results: Venlafaxine and paroxetine were reported more frequently, and fluoxetine less frequently, in the sample compared to their frequency of prescription in clinical practice. As this was a convenience sample, only qualitative analysis was performed. These posts were further analyzed for specifics of the medications involved, temporal characteristics of the medication intake, associated symptoms, specifics of the “zap” experience itself, and effect of the zaps on quality of life. Of the statements, 378 contained reference to symptoms experienced in the context of antidepressant discontinuation. These posts were analyzed and separated into 648 separate statements regarding antidepressant intake. The posts had been accumulating on the site since December 2014. The site was accessed between December 13, 2014, and December 12, 2016, and its content was saved in a text document. Methods: We examined 595 unsolicited posts made by individuals frequenting a popular lay mental health website. Objective: To describe the characteristics of the electrical phenomena of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome known as brain zaps and their effect on quality of life.
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