What Are Brain Zaps During Antidepressant Withdrawal?

You might be familiar with a sensation called "brain zaps" if you have recently skipped or stopped taking antidepressants. Brain zaps are sensory disturbances that feel like electric shocks inside the brain.

Common triggers of brain zaps include moving the eyes and head, stress, and tiredness. Some describe feeling woozy and hearing noises like a swish or woosh with brain zaps.

There are no treatments for brain zaps, but slowly tapering off antidepressants may help reduce their risk. Consult a healthcare provider before stopping antidepressant use.

Read on to learn about how antidepressant withdrawal causes brain zaps and how to reduce symptoms.

What Are Brain Zaps?

Brain zaps are sensory disturbances that feel like electric jolts inside the brain. Brain zaps often affect people who stop taking antidepressants, which help balance neurotransmitters, or chemicals in your brain.

The term "brain zaps" is not necessarily the technical name, although it's most commonly used to describe the symptom. The medical community did not recognize brain zaps until the late 1990s, Brian Barnett, MD, an addiction psychiatrist with the Cleveland Clinic, told Health. 

In a study published in 2020, researchers reviewed past studies and found that out of 2,346 people who had used antidepressants, 42.5% reported that they had experienced brain zaps.

Causes of Brain Zaps

The primary cause of brain zaps is skipping or stopping antidepressant use. Antidepressants may cause side effects when you skip or stop taking them, also known as antidepressant withdrawal.  

Usually, antidepressant withdrawal symptoms include:

• Flu-like symptoms
• Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
• Sensory disturbances
• Trouble sleeping
• Vertigo

Some evidence suggests that brain zaps are a sensory disturbance that occurs with antidepressant withdrawal.

Common Triggers

A study published in 2022 looked at brain zaps in people who recently stopped taking antidepressants. The researchers found that some of the most common triggers of brain zaps included moving the eyes or head.

Other factors that may trigger brain zaps include:

• Caffeine
• Changing the focus of your eyes
• Falling asleep or waking up
• Illness
• Running or walking
• Stress
• Tiredness

How Do Brain Zaps Feel?

Brain zaps often feel like an electric shock, said Dr. Barnett. Some people may feel vibrations that come from inside the brain. The 2022 study found that 10% of people have slight changes in consciousness like their "brain skipping a beat."

A study published in 2018 found that people who have brain zaps reported other symptoms like:

• Feeling dizzy or unsteady
• Feeling "unplugged" or disconnected from reality
• Hearing a sound (i.e., macarena, salt shaker, swish, or woosh)
• Nausea
• Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears
• Vertigo

Treatment and Home Remedies

Brain zaps typically go away without treatment. More research is needed to know what remedies help alleviate discomfort from brain zaps.

The 2018 study noted that people commonly use omega-3 fatty acid supplements to treat brain zaps. Of note: The researchers did not advise using omega-3 supplements to treat brain zaps since there are no studies on their efficacy.

How To Stop Brain Zaps

Research has found that not skipping doses and slowly tapering off antidepressants helps reduce symptoms.

Generally, experts advise slowly tapering off antidepressants to avoid withdrawal symptoms. You may not need to taper if you took antidepressants for less than four weeks or Prozac (fluoxetine). Consult a healthcare provider about how to taper off antidepressants.

Brain zaps are often uncomfortable but temporary and tolerable. Others may experience discomfort for several years.

Still, "I would say [for] the vast majority of people, they typically resolve within a month," added Dr. Barnett. 

A healthcare provider may advise restarting antidepressants if withdrawal symptoms are severe. Then, they will likely work with you to develop a more gradual taper plan.

A Quick Review

Brain zaps feel like an electric shock in the brain, which happens after stopping antidepressant use. Brain zaps typically happen if you move your eyes and head. Some people report feeling dizzy and hearing noises when brain zaps happen.

More research is needed to fully understand why brain zaps, which may help prevent and treat them. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have brain zaps or are hesitant about starting or stopping antidepressant use. They can help figure out the best discontinuation or treatment plan for you.