Australians can sometimes struggle to come off antidepressants, leading them to go searching online for help
· Australia lacks official guidelines for deprescribing antidepressants, making it difficult for patients to taper off their medication, leading to withdrawal symptoms.
· New apps like TaperMate are being developed to provide support and help patients track their tapering process.
· Online forums, such as Surviving Antidepressants, are also being used for advice on reducing dosage slowly.
· The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines were recently published to assist clinicians, but they are not official.
· Overall, apps like TaperMate can be a valuable tool in the treatment process, but caution is advised.