withdrawal symptoms

Cultural

A wide range of physical or emotional disorders, including nervousness, headaches, and insomnia, that occur when an individual who is addicted to a substance (such as drugs or alcohol) stops using the substance.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A recent study found that nearly two-thirds of patients on antidepressants for more than two years had moderate or severe withdrawal symptoms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025

However, the problem with staying on antidepressants longer than necessary is that withdrawal symptoms can be more difficult the longer you stay on them.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2025

Official health guidance is to reduce the dose of antidepressant medication in stages over time, rather than stopping it suddenly or missing doses, which could lead to withdrawal symptoms.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2024

In some people, stopping sleep medication abruptly after more than a month of use can trigger withdrawal symptoms, which can include heightened anxiety, restlessness or rebound insomnia, meaning your sleep is disrupted again.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 2024

If so, she surmised, Hilda's mood was a combination of hormonal imbalances and withdrawal symptoms from dopamine not arriving in the pleasure receptors of her brain in quantities commensurate with that earlier experience.

From Tokyo to Tijuana: Gabriele Departing America by Sills, Steven (Steven David Justin)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023