Last Updated:

February 2nd, 2026

Antidepressant rehab

Antidepressants are among the most widely prescribed medications in Britain. 89 million prescriptions were dispensed in England during 2023-24 alone, and an estimated 8.75 million people took at least one antidepressant that year. While antidepressants can be very effective, many people discover that stopping them is far more difficult than they expected. Antidepressant rehab provides specialised support for discontinuing antidepressants, managing withdrawal symptoms, and addressing any underlying mental health issues before they cause a relapse.

woman suffring with Antidepressant pills

What is antidepressant rehab?

Antidepressant rehab is a way to end long-term antidepressant use and dependency with professional help. It’s for people on a range of antidepressants, including SNRIs such as:

  • Citalopram
  • Amitriptyline
  • Sertraline
  • Mirtazapine

Many people find that coming off antidepressants brings difficult physical feelings and sudden dips in mood, and it can be hard to tell what is withdrawal and what is the original depression or anxiety. This is called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, and it affects approximately 43% of those who quit.

During detox, your doctors can plan a taper that suits your history, and your therapists can help you through the rough patches. Once you are through withdrawal, antidepressant rehab programmes focus on what the drugs have done for you, the problems they have caused, and what you want life to look like going forward.

Most people took antidepressants exactly as prescribed and just got stuck, so there is no judgement or blame in rehab. The aim is to put you in charge of your recovery, steady your mood while changes are made, and help you build support so you’re not trying to manage everything on your own once you leave.

When is antidepressant rehab necessary?

Antidepressant addiction is not always as easy to spot as alcohol addiction or other types of drug addiction. However, some clear signs that you should consider professional treatment include:

  • You have been on the same antidepressants for years and feel completely stuck.
  • You get brain “zaps”, dizziness, flu-like feelings or a sudden mood crash when you miss even one dose.
  • You are scared to change anything in your routine in case something interferes with your medication.
    Your life feels organised around the times you take antidepressants.
  • You have tried to stop more than once but failed.
  • You can’t tell whether your depressive symptoms are the same as before or due to withdrawal.
  • You feel completely flat or emotionally distant whenever you take antidepressants.
  • You are relying solely on antidepressants and not on other approaches like therapy or lifestyle changes.

stress woman using Antidepressant pill

What are the options for antidepressant rehab?

Antidepressant addiction treatment options include NHS treatment and private care. Here are the main differences:

1. Antidepressant rehab NHS support

On the NHS, your GP or psychiatrist can review your medication, plan a gradual reduction, and refer you for therapy. It doesn’t cost anything and may suit people who can manage changes at home with some support around them. The challenge is that most of the process happens as an outpatient. This means you won’t receive the immersive care needed if you have a severe reaction to withdrawal or you need a lot of help with your mental health.

2. Private inpatient antidepressant rehab

Private rehab means living in a residential centre for antidepressant addiction treatment. It is the safest way to withdraw from antidepressants, and usually provides the most extensive programme of therapies. Not everyone needs inpatient antidepressant rehab, but it is the best option for most people because it offers a complete escape from everything going on in life.

What therapies are used in antidepressant rehab?

Making sure the rehab programmes you are considering offer the right therapies is crucial for a successful recovery. Some of the most important include:

12-step programme
This is the famous programme invented for AA meetings, but it works for antidepressants, too. If you start the first few steps during rehab, you can then continue the programme in local meetings after you complete residential treatment.
Individual therapy
One-to-one therapy lets you talk about things you may have been dealing with for longer than you remember. You and your therapist will look at how antidepressants may have helped at first, why they are now adding to your problems, and what you can change to stay as mentally well as possible.
Group therapy
Group therapy in rehab usually includes a mix of people, as some will be there for alcohol, some for drugs, and others possibly for gambling addiction or other behavioural issues. However, feeling ashamed or frightened about the future is a universal experience. These sessions allow you to talk about your experiences, learn from others, and hopefully make some lasting relationships.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT will teach you to notice when your mind slides into hopelessness or depressive thoughts. You can then practise taking even a moment to pause and take control of how you respond when those thoughts occur.
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
DBT can be especially useful for people who have been struggling with depression and addiction. It teaches you skills for weathering strong emotions without making things worse through drug use. You will also work on keeping relationships more stable, which can really help with underlying depression.
Family therapy
Antidepressant use can be confusing from the outside, as one minute you can seem fine and the next, really struggling again. Family therapy helps the people close to you understand what has been going on, and gives you a chance to say what support you need from them, but have been too scared to ask for.

Life after antidepressant rehab

Coming out of antidepressant rehab can feel like both a hopeful and fragile time. Having spent time understanding your mental health and your relationship with antidepressants, you will now need to put all of that into practice in the real world. To help you do that, you should choose a rehab centre that provides relapse prevention planning and ongoing services like alumni events and aftercare therapy.

For many people, some form of fellowship or local support provides an important safety net. This may include NA meetings, another 12-step group, or a mental-health peer group. With the right aftercare and support system in place, lifelong recovery is absolutely possible.

Seek antidepressant rehab today

If antidepressants are no longer helping and have left you feeling trapped, Recovery.org can offer free, expert advice. Contact us today to find out what support is available and how to find the best antidepressant addiction treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I need antidepressant rehab?
You may need antidepressant rehab if you have been taking the medication long-term but still don’t feel stable, are stuck between side effects on one hand and fear of rebound depression on the other, using alcohol or other drugs to fill the gaps between doses, or living in a constant loop of starting, stopping, and switching tablets.
Can I detox from antidepressants alone?
Coming off antidepressants without proper support can leave you dealing with strong emotions and physical withdrawal at the same time, which is hard for anyone to cope with by themselves. While some people manage with a very slow GP-led taper, antidepressant rehab can be a better option if you are really worried or have struggled with quitting before. Your medical team can adjust your plan as you go, keep you safe if your mental health is fragile, and provide therapy so you’re not battling symptoms with no one to talk to.
Is antidepressant rehab expensive?
You can access free help through NHS services, but they are mostly outpatient and often stretched, which can limit how much support you get. Private antidepressant rehab is paid for, with costs varying by centre and programme. Rehab costs can be understandable to worry about, but many rehabs offer finance options or accept private health insurance. Speak to Recovery.org, and we can help you understand the likely costs.

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