As mentioned earlier, brain zaps are common among those who stop taking antidepressants. These medications can alter the production of dopamine, serotonin, and other neurotransmitters influencing your mood. The problem is that you may experience brain shocks and other side effects when neurotransmitter levels go up or down suddenly because you stop taking your meds. The same can happen when people decrease the dose rapidly, explains Harvard Medical School.
Nearly 60% of those who discontinue antidepressant medication will experience withdrawal symptoms, reports a 2019 review featured in Addictive Behaviors. In some cases, antidepressant withdrawal may cause anxiety, depression, insomnia, digestive discomfort, or even hallucinations. These symptoms can last as little as five days or up to a year or longer. For example, venlafaxine — a common antidepressant that alters serotonin levels — causes brain zaps in 17.2% to 78% of patients who stop taking the medicine, according to a 2013 case study published in The Primary Companion for CNS Disorders.
Several other medications can have this side effect, notes Psychology Today. Anxiolytic drugs and sleeping pills, especially those targeting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), are the most likely to cause withdrawal symptoms. On the positive side, brain zaps often subside over time unless they're due to an underlying condition, such as anxiety.
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