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Mind over medicine: expectations may drive antidepressant withdrawal

NCT ID NCT05191277

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looked at 56 adults with fully remitted depression who wanted to stop their antidepressant. Researchers wanted to see how much of the withdrawal symptoms are caused by the drug itself versus the person's expectations. Participants were randomly assigned to either stop or continue their medication, and some were told exactly what they were getting while others were kept uncertain. The goal is to better understand how to help people stop antidepressants more smoothly.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
antidepressant medication (SSRI/SNRI/NaSSA)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could help doctors better manage antidepressant tapering by understanding how much of the withdrawal symptoms are due to expectations versus the drug itself.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed study (56 participants) focused on understanding mechanisms, not testing a new treatment. Results may not apply to all antidepressants or patient groups.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

56 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Aug 2022

Finished

Nov 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients (18 to 75 years) with fully remitted Major Depressive Disorder, single or recurrent, as main diagnosis confirmed by prescribing physician and SCID-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) * Intake of SSRI/SNRI (citalopram: 20-40mg, escitalopram: 10-20mg, sertraline: 50-150mg, venlafaxine: 75-150mg, duloxetine: 60-100mg, paroxetine: 20-40mg) or NaSSA (mirtazapine: 30-45mg) * Discontinuation wish by patient supported by prescribing physician * Fulfils criteria of the German S3 national guideline recommendations for treatment of Major Depressive Disorders to discontinue antidepressant medication: a) response to antidepressant medication, b) symptom remission for at least four months (for a single episode) or two years (for two or more episodes with significant functional impairment) and c) concurrent intake of antidepressant medication (at least 4 weeks on a steady dose) Exclusion Criteria: * Acute or chronic somatic illness and/or intake of medication which might interfere with depressive disorder, antidepressant medication or proposed study * Acute suicidality, psychotic symptoms, substance abuse or addiction, current mania, or hypomania confirmed by SCID-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) or other psychopathology which might interfere with depressive disorder, antidepressant medication or proposed study * Any history of bipolar disorder or psychosis confirmed by SCID-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) * Severe stressful life events (e.g., death of a family member) within six months prior to study participation * Insufficient German language proficiency * No informed consent * Upon optional participation: MRI-specific exclusion criteria (phobic anxiety, claustrophobia, ferromagnetic implants, etc.)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Antidepressants Depressive symptoms Expectations

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

    Hamburg, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, 20251, Germany

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