Serotonin discontinuation syndrome: does it really exist?

Treatment guidelines for depression have typically focused on diagnosis, how to initiate antidepressants, and duration of therapy, while very little is discussed about discontinuing treatment. With the advent of the serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), there is now growing evidence to support a "discontinuation syndrome" associated with withdrawal of therapy. This article describes two cases and presents a review of the literature.