Symptom counts hide withdrawal severity

The new JAMA Psychiatry review finds only about one extra discontinuation symptom after stopping antidepressants, but it relies on DESS, a checklist that assigns one point per symptom and does not rate how bad it is. A small increase in symptom counts can still mask highly disabling cases that matter most for patients and policy. Treating this as 'reassuring' risks complacency about tapering and support. — If measurement tools undercount severity, guidelines, media, and insurers may misjudge withdrawal risks and undermine safe deprescribing practices.