Brain zaps are commonly reported electrical shock sensations that are often experienced during discontinuation of antidepressant medications. Other common names for brain zaps include: brain shivers, electrical shocks, and brain shocks. People often describe them as feeling electrical current uncontrollably zapping their brains, which can be extremely frightening and uncomfortable. A person experiencing these zaps may get dizzy, feel minor pain, and high levels of discomfort.
What causes brain zaps?
Brain zaps are considered to be caused by neurotransmitter alterations within the brain, particularly those involving “serotonin.” It is believed that serotonin plays a vital role in the development of these zaps due to the fact that people typically experience them when discontinuing serotonergic antidepressants (e.g. SSRIs). The zaps may also be caused via discontinuation of other psychotropic medications including: antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, MAOIs, SNRIs, and tricyclic antidepressants.
- Antidepressant withdrawal: During withdrawal from antidepressant medications, “brain zaps” are considered common symptoms to experience. It is believed that the severity and length of brain zaps may be related to whether a person discontinues “cold turkey” as opposed to tapering off of their medication.
- Eye movements: It has been speculated that moving the eyes side to side may provoke or intensify brain zap sensations. While this is purely speculation, there are online accounts of individuals that found things like “looking to the side” can trigger them.
- Medication side effects: Some individuals have reported experiencing “brain zaps” as side effects from certain medications. These may be experienced when a person initially begins taking a psychotropic medication. It is thought that adjustments in the functioning of various neurotransmitters are responsible for the zaps.
- Skipping a dose: If you are on a medication and you accidentally miss or intentionally skip a dose, you may notice unpleasant brain zaps. When people experience the zap sensation, they quickly remember that they forgot to take their medication.
- Other medications: It should be mentioned that medications other than antidepressants can cause brain zaps. While they are most commonly experienced as a result of taking serotonergic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and antipsychotics have also been suggested as potential causes.
How long do brain zaps last?
There is no set “timeline” that says how long brain zaps will last. The zaps people experience are generally subject to individual variation. One person may experience them for a significant duration (e.g. weeks or months), while another may find that they go away in short order (e.g. hours or days). There are a number of factors that can influence how long these “zaps” may persist including: your physiology, duration you took your medication, the dosage, and whether you quit cold turkey or tapered.
It should also be noted that while some individuals experience a bulk of the zaps immediately following discontinuation, some experience the zaps during more protracted phases of withdrawal. In other words, some individuals may have no zaps for weeks, and then experience them seemingly out of nowhere.
Factors that can influence the severity of brain zaps
There are several factors that are thought to influence both the severity and duration of the brain zaps. These factors include things like: individual physiology, level of anxiety, the drug that was taken, how quickly a person discontinued, and whether they are currently taking other medications.
- Individual physiology: Since not everyone experiences brain zaps, it should be noted that severity of the zaps will vary based on the individual. People with certain genes and/or more resilient nervous systems may not ever experience zaps even when quitting cold turkey. Some individuals will experience the zaps for longer duration than others. Keep in mind that your experience with these zaps may not be the same as someone else in terms of sensation, severity, and duration.
- Medication: Another huge factor in determining the duration and severity of the zaps is the particular medication that a person was (or is) taking. In most cases, the zaps occur upon discontinuation or skipping a dose of an antidepressant medication. While it is most commonly experienced during SSRI withdrawal, other classes of antidepressants and medications (e.g. benzodiazepines) have been suggested to cause zaps.
- Cold turkey vs. tapering: If you want to decrease your chances of experiencing severe, persistent brain zaps, make sure you taper off of your medication slowly. The more gradually you taper, the less likely the brain zaps are to occur. If you quit cold turkey, you are significantly increasing your chances of experiencing these jolts.
- Duration of treatment: How long were you taking your medication? Those who were on a particular drug for a long period of time are more likely to experience the zaps. This is due to the fact that the drug induced more changes in neural functioning and neurotransmission over the long-term than it would have over the short-term. In general, the shorter the duration for which you took your medication, the less likely you are to experience zaps.
- Half-life: What was the half-life of your drug? Medications with extremely short half-lives are more likely to cause zaps upon discontinuation or missing a dose. A common example of a medication with a short half life is that of Paxil (21 hours). People are much more likely to experience zaps from Paxil than Prozac (with a longer half life of several days).
- Specific drug: Some would suggest that the particular drug that a person takes will influence the zaps. Certain drug formulations are thought to be of greater potency and affect neurotransmission more than others. The more potent the serotonergic drug, the more likely a person will experience zaps.
- Other drugs: One factor that not many people consider is that of taking other drugs. Often times people who are taking other medications will not experience brain zaps because the other medication and/or supplement is mitigating the zaps. This is why many people transition to other medications like Prozac or claim that certain supplements help them cope with the zaps. If a person isn’t taking any other drugs or supplements upon discontinuation, the zaps will likely be more severe than those who are still medicated.
- Level of anxiety: Some have speculated that when a person becomes more anxious, they are more prone to the zaps. This could be due to the fact that anxiety stimulates the central nervous system, and thus could be preventing repairs from occurring after withdrawal. In other cases, people with high anxiety may perceive the brain zaps as being worse than they actually are and/or believe that there is some more significant health problem.
Theories about causes of brain zaps
Brain zaps have long been described by individuals dealing with first-hand experience of antidepressant withdrawal. The zaps feel like jolts of electricity through the head, neck, or other areas of the body such as the spine, arms, and/or legs. In most people, the most common area to experience these zaps is in the head, thus being referred to as “brain” zaps. There are several theories in regards to what may cause them. While certain factors are suggested as causes, the specifics are unknown.
REM Sleep and Serotonin
One hypothesis is floating around the internet that suggests brain zaps are linked to both REM sleep and serotonin. Some people experience brain zaps after waking up from sleep and/or when they fall asleep. A theory is that REM sleep (rapid-eye movement) may influence serotonergic processes in the brain, and the “zaps” are a byproduct of the rapid-eye movement. Whether this has any credibility is debatable. Those who have felt the zaps while sleeping may be able to provide more insight into this experience.
Transitioning out of drug-induced states
Some experts believe that they are a result of the brain suddenly attempting to transition out of the drug-induced neurotransmission to which it had adapted. There are many reports of brain zaps, some of which have been so severe that doctors thought they were experiencing seizures. A couple of British psychiatrists described brain zaps as, “sensory symptoms or symptoms of disequilibrium in brief bursts” when a person moves their head or eyes.
Analogy: Scuba diver surfacing too quickly
They emphasized that this generally occurs during discontinuation from a psychiatric medication. An analogy that has been used to describe why brain zaps occur is a scuba diver who is at the bottom of the ocean, but rises to the surface too fast – resulting in unwanted effects. Other psychiatric authors have suggested that brain zaps are likely influenced by serotonin’s role in sensory functions and muscle movement.
Paresthesia
When a person quits an antidepressant, the person then may experience paresthesia or various sensations as a result of abnormal serotonin levels. These authors describe the fact that major changes to neuronal networks can occur during antidepressant treatment, thus leading to zaps when the brain attempts to function without the drug.
Length of treatment and dosage
Authors have also suggested that both length of treatment and the dosage taken may influence the severity of brain zaps. Additionally, other researchers have hypothesized that in addition to serotonin playing a role in the zaps, norepinephrine may also be a contributing factor – especially for individuals who come off of SNRIs.
Pre-Seizure symptoms?
Researchers have stated that these brain zaps could be similar to pre-seizure symptoms seen in cases of epilepsy. Since there is evidence that the noradrenergic system plays a role in seizure development, it would make sense that norepinephrine could influence brain zaps.
What do brain zaps feel like?
They are relatively difficult to describe because they affect each person differently. For some they are more severe and resemble electrical jolts, while for others they are less severe and easier to cope with. Most would agree that they feel some sort of “electrical” sensation within their head as a result of them. Below is a list of various descriptions of the zaps based on first-hand experiences.
Descriptions:
- Electrical shocks
- “Flicking cards” through your head
- Electrical jolts
- Light-bulb going off in your head
- Lightning strikes in the brain
- “Pop rocks” in the head
- Pulses of electricity
- Shivers of the brain
- Strobe light flashing in the brain
Note: These sensations are often accompanied by sensations of dizziness and/or vertigo. Others may experience symptoms of nausea and/or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
How to stop brain zaps…
There are no known medical treatments that are prescribed specifically to stop the brain zaps. In most cases, people will have to put up with them and understand that with proper time, they will eventually subside. Below are some recommendations that may help you better deal with the zaps.
- Conduct a slower taper: If you quit your medication cold turkey, you may need to start taking it again, and then conduct a slower, more gradual taper off of it. Many zaps are caused when people quit their mediation too quickly and/or from too high of a dose.
- Go back on medication: Another option that some people pursue is simply going back on their medication. After a person is back on their medication they can then decide to taper more slowly and/or switch to a different medication.
- Take Prozac (longer half-life): A strategy for minimizing brain zaps and general antidepressant withdrawal symptoms is to transition to a drug with a longer half-life. Often an experienced psychiatrist will recommend transitioning to Prozac and eventually withdrawing from the Prozac, which should reduce the chances of the zaps.
- Supplements: Many people swear by taking various supplements to reduce the severity of brain zaps. Whether these supplements actually work to alleviate the zaps is unverified. Many individuals have said that supplementation of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids improve these zaps to a significant extent. Some have suggested that they completely cure the zapping.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Many people claim that the best way to deal with brain zaps is to take omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil supplements. It is unknown why the fish oil helps, but many have testified that it works wonders. While most user accounts suggest taking “fish oil” some would speculate that “krill oil” would provide similar results.
- Vitamin B12: Some have suggested that getting proper vitamins helps significantly to minimize the zaps. In particular, many people have recommended taking Vitamin B12 supplements and have found them especially helpful. The combination of the B12 with fish oil is able to decrease the severity and frequency of zaps in some people.
- Time heals all: Understand that although the zaps may be somewhat painful, frustrating, and annoying, they will eventually subside. Even if it seems like they are a permanent neurological problem, rest assured they are not. Eventually your brain will figure out how to repair itself and as your neurotransmission restores itself, you will no longer feel the zaps. For some people the zaps may last days, for others weeks, and for others even longer, but they will subside in time.
Are brain zaps considered dangerous?
If there’s one thing to know about these brain zaps, it should be that they are not considered dangerous. There is no scientific evidence supporting any claims that these jolt-like sensations cause any brain damage or interfere with the health of neurons. Although they may be highly-uncomfortable to experience, at least you don’t have to worry about them killing brain cells.
Have you experienced brain zaps?
Many people have experience brain zaps upon discontinuation from an antidepressant medication. I personally remember quitting Paxil CR and wondering why it felt like my brain was being tortured in an electrocution chamber. For most people, the brain zaps suck, but will eventually subside. If you have a personal experience with “brain zaps” feel free to share it in the comments section below. Also feel free to mention any supplements and/or strategies that have helped you cope with the zaps.
Take the “Brain Zaps” Questionnaire
Patients know that most medical professionals are unwilling to acknowledge “brain zaps” and usually attribute them to worsening of neuropsychiatric conditions and/or a somatic disorder.  Because brain zaps are a legitimate [yet largely unacknowledged] phenomenon among psychiatric patients, a subset of professionals (and many patients) agree that it would be useful to develop guidelines for their prevention and/or treatment.
After being presented with a patient experiencing severe brain zaps, a clinical psychiatrist decided to conduct an investigation by formatting a questionnaire. I was asked to include the questionnaire on this page.
If you’re interested in helping medical professionals better understand “brain zaps,” feel free to participate in the following survey:  Click here to take the “Brain Zaps” Questionnaire.  The questionnaire results will be used to develop guidelines for brain zap prevention, minimization, and/or treatment. (UPDATE: Questionnaire is now closed).
I still have the “brain zaps” and it’s been a couple months since I tapered off escitalopram. Mine start more towards the area where my brain stem is and then shoot down my spine to my limbs and it makes me jump like I was getting shocked, but they’ve never hurt unless it made me move a limb or my neck wrong or too fast.
The beginning of my zaps was within months of first going cold turkey off tranxene, following about 10 years of consistent use. Shortly after this I was prescribed Prozac. I used this no more than 3 months before dropping it! The zaps (all nocturnal), began about 4-5 months afterward and have continued for over 4 years.
These are not nightly and at times seem to be cyclical in nature. The most likely nights for occurrence are the weekend nights! I teach and I am thankful they do not occur on a regular basis during the week, but I am perplexed by this cycle. I am on break for 14 days and I have had zaps for more than half the nights!?
Examinations and conversations have revealed nothing. Trying to elicit a conversation with medical professionals has yielded little of value in the fight to counter the fatigue and irritability that follow the zap episodes! The zap is so intense that I am wide awake afterwards and seldom get back into any productive stage of sleep afterwards.
Has anyone been counseled by a physician who actually presented helpful care for these electric events? Does anyone experience nocturnal zaps exclusively? Is there treatment that does not include going back on anti-depressants or anxiety meds?
Hi, I want to add my experience to the many which have been shared already. Was put on citalopram 8 years ago for a breakdown. It did help but eventually unwanted side effects set in. Like many of you I was NEVER told how hard it would be to come off this drug. I tried to gradually reduce over a period of 6 weeks.
I was so tearful, irritable, and constantly nauseous and having the brain zaps. It came to a point after 2-3 months that it was affecting my work and I had to go back on the drug to get the effects to stop. I can’t afford not to work! Currently switching to Wellbutrin and stopped taking citalopram. It’s been 3 days and starting to get the zaps, nausea, etc.
I took Phenergan last night for nausea and it knocked me out so I could sleep for the first time in a few nights. Any other meds people are taking to manage withdrawal symptoms? Hoping one day to be off meds altogether but I can’t afford to suffer through the side effects being unable to work! Can’t believe some experience withdrawal many years after stopping.
Drug companies need to be held accountable! And MDs need to stop telling us it’s just the depression returning… I was NEVER that miserable before taking these drugs!!!
There needs to be more research into this. It’s such a real and common symptom and all we get it “it appears as though…” or “some people report…”. It’s damn real and scientists should be curious enough to research it and figure it out so we can have proof and evidence behind what we are feeling. When I talk to a doctor about it, it’s like Russian Roulette. Will he have even heard of it? If he has, does he actually think it’s a real symptom?
Is it still called a brain zap if I also get paralyzed for about a minute, and fully awake? I experienced it about an hour ago, as I was about to sleep, a surge of energy just came in. Every time I doze off, I get “shocked” or electrocuted type of sensation and then followed by a paralysis, where I can only move my wrists, ankle, neck and head. but I can’t move the rest of my body.
I have been experiencing sleep paralysis for as long as I can remember, but this year, even if I’m FULLY awake, just about to sleep, I get paralyzed. It felt weird and terrifying. This time, not just paralysis but with brain zaps. Am I the only one with this condition? Please help.
For me, the eye-movement thing turned out to be “shock”ingly accurate. After I read that moving your eye to the side triggers them, I sat here and tested it. It triggered it 10 out of 10 times perfectly. There is no doubt in my mind that whatever triggers it is related to eye movement. It also normally comes on when I’m tired or haven’t had much sleep. And yes, I’m coming off of prozac.
I stopped taking Cymbalta just a few days ago and have been sick as a dog ever since. Brain zaps, stomach pain, nausea, and everything else! I am glad to read these will eventually go away. Just want them to go away quickly! It is affecting my work and life.
I have been experiencing brain shocks for over 30 years and I have never taken medications. They are terrifying and they are extremely painful. Each year I think they can’t get worse and then each year they do. This year is unbelievable! The shocks are unbelievably painful and thank heavens they only last a split second but they do happen many times in a row.
It only happens when I lay down to sleep. It takes me an hour to fall asleep and in that time the shocks happen. They never happen any other time. Never during sleep or if I wake up in the middle of the night and fall back asleep. Only when I lay down and I am fully awake when they happen.
Why is this happening when I don’t take these pills everyone seems to take who suffers from brain shocks? I take nothing and still suffer from this. Very frustrating!!!
Tammy, That could be a ‘myoclonic jerk.’ An MD once explained to me that ‘No one knows why’ they happen and ‘nothing to worry about. Quite common.’ They do indeed occur when falling asleep. If that’s what you have, or whether that doctor’s words are true…well, I can’t actually vouch. Oh, and, yes, of course there’s no treatment. I was told. You should at least google it, maybe?
I spent more than 10 years on Tranxene, for anxiety. At the beginning of 2011 I went off the meds rather quickly and was placed on Paxil CR. This was not agreeable and I completely discontinued all meds without any immediate consequences. However, about 4 months after this discontinuation I suffered a seizure.
I was up and about within days and saw no immediate effects of withdrawal. Within 7 months I was experiencing ringing in the left ear and nighttime zaps. Both of these symptoms continue, with the zaps becoming very intense and changing locations from the head to the chest, abdomen, and even legs! I have spoken with numerous physicians, family physician, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and several other medical professionals.
They all have one thing in common, that is I get a perplexed look and no comments. Until I read this article I had no idea of the prevalence of these symptoms. However, the oddity I have experienced is that the zaps are almost cyclical?
I do have them off cycle. I can go 10-12 days without a zap, then suffer from intense zaps in a short period of time. There must be someone who is knowledgeable about this particular ailment? Any ideas?
I stopped taking Escitalopram a few days ago (I think this is day 3 without it). I tapered a bit, about two weeks I’d say, can’t fully remember because there wasn’t a plan, I just took less as long as everything felt right. Day 1 was fine (as it is when I’ve missed a dose) but these brain zaps started on day 2. I immediately knew it was a withdrawal symptom and knew it was nothing to worry about, but it’s interesting to research anyway.
Seems like a lot of people have these brain zaps after quitting whatever SSRI they took. It’s a very odd feeling, but it’s not severe. I mostly notice it when moving my head or eyes. The zaps come with a slight dizziness/disorientation, but it’s all in all very manageable. When I got off of a different SSRI some years ago (cold turkey I must admit) I felt this huge lump in my throat and a bit flu-like, I’d say the brain zaps are easier to deal with. Though disturbing to think about haha.
I’ve been prescribed 4 (maybe 5 my memory isn’t the best) SSRI’s in the past by family doctors and none of them have had effect on my depression and/or anxiety. This last one (escitalopram) made me sweat profusely at night, it had me waking up in the middle of the night drenched in cold sweat. Which I could deal with if I also had the positive effects, but it just became to be very annoying. I’m seeing a psychiatrist now, I haven’t gotten a new medicine (and maybe I won’t, who knows, it’s just a lot of talking right now to get a proper diagnosis) but I was definitely done with this.
I’d rather deal with the zaps for a bit! If I know my body like I think I do, they’ll only last a few days anyway.
I have these after abusing MDMA which also messes with serotonin. I like the feeling though. But it does wake me up.
To the people who have developed this condition without ever being on antidepressants. Does starting antidepressants alleviate these symptoms?
One of the best articles about this SSRI withdrawal symptom. I’ve gone off SSRIs 3 times and gotten the brain zaps each time. The four days they are bad with insomnia, light restless sleep, nightmares, vivid dreams, craving for salt, irritability, anger, diarrhea, and a strong startle response. The only thing that helps is Benadryl which is diphenhydramine.
Typically diphenhydramine makes me super sleepy (even non-drowsy Dramamine), but during this brain readjustment time, it really helps. I take it during the day and it prevents the nausea that the dizziness causes. I think the nausea adds to the anxiety. The diphenhydramine seems to make the brain calmer or less sensitive.
I read it has a mild SSRI function. In about a month, most people will not have the zaps. Hang in there. Your brain, eyes, body, etc are relearning. Don’t baby it, the brain needs to adjust. Think of it like exercising your brain. Don’t give I to the anger, remember it’s part of the withdrawal. Each day your brain is adjusting and conditioning. Sleep at your normal bedtime, and the next day will be easier.
Crying with both sadness and relief at reading this. I Googled brain zaps as a way of trying to explain to my doctor what’s happening at the moment after stopping taking sertraline 50mg. Before this I tapered down from 150mg but the doc said to stop taking at 50. I feel awful.
It’s scary and I’m sick of it to be honest. I should be back at work now and it’s so frustrating… every day, by a certain time of day it comes along with whooshing in ears and shooting down my arms/tingles. Some days worse than others but afternoon and evenings the worst. I hope this goes away. Feeling particularly despairing.
I too just recently stopped taking Celexa. I did a slow taper-off per Dr. orders and she started me on 300mg Wellbutrin as well. I have severe anxiety and depression (have had my whole life) and have been dealing with daily chronic migraine for the last year and am still trying to find relief for that. I am two days completely off of Celexa and I started getting the zaps about a week prior to stopping completely.
With mine it starts in my head and goes completely up and down the left side of my body and across my chest. Like that tingly sensation you get when your foot or hand falls asleep. Also very dizzy and nauseous with appetite changes as well.
I have stopped other antidepressants before and have never had this issue, and had previously gone off Celexa one other time for pregnancy but did not have this issue the last time. I am hoping that it gets better I am thoroughly miserable and having strong anxiety since going off the medicine.
So glad that there are others out there that experience these brain zaps. I have not come off any antidepressants because I was never on them to begin with. But I am on Neurontin which is used for epilepsy. My dosage is 300 mg 3 x day for nerve damage pain.
But I get these jolts of electric like pain on the left side of my scalp from the base of the hairline at the nape of the neck to above the ear when I turn my head. It is most disconcerting and it worries me. My doctor says it is nothing to worry about but it really hurts. Any ideas for treatment?
Does anyone get the brain zaps while actually on the medication? I take 20 mg of lexapro daily and get the zaps every so often. Stops me in my tracks and then I have a dull pain for an hour or so. Always in the same exact spot on the top right side of my head.
I was on celexa 40mg for about 9 years for anti-spasm for an undiagnosed GI issue. Now that the GI issue is diagnosed and medicated I wanted off celexa. I slowly tapered with guidance from my dr and took my last one on Saturday it’s now Wednesday night and the zaps are horrible! I used to call them ‘rushes’ BC it felt like a rush of electricity though my body.
I felt alone and like I was the odd one put bc no one understood what I was describing. I can’t get the zaps to go away and I don’t want to go back on the medication… any suggestions? How long did it take for your zaps to go away after the taper process was over?
I have schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. I take vilazodone (Viibryd), lithium, trazodone (without which I physically cannot sleep), and lurasidone (Latuda). I have been on just about every antidepressant and antipsychotic there is. I have had these “brain zaps” for years, some of them so severe that I mistook them for seizures. I am mystified because I’ve been getting them while trying to fall asleep at night, and this is the first site that associates them with REM sleep.
It always happens when I start having those strange, dissociated thoughts that come right before falling unconscious, and it jolts me awake. It’s been taking me more than an hour to fall asleep at night because of this. So frustrating that there seems to be nothing that can be done! I’m not coming off of any meds!
I agree with Skalle’s final comment. I think it too dangerous and fraught with major suicidial ideation to come off any anti-depressants, whether SNRI, SSRI, or anything. I ended up becoming suicidal last week or two due to the medication change. Not healthy. Unfortunately, the drug companies have us all fooled, and I hope the class actions currently in USA courts-of-law will result in compulsory research by those companies at not cost to the consumer to determine how to handle discontinuation syndrome and brain-zapping.
Hello everyone, My story is just like all of you. I was on Cymbalta for years and one day I ran out and that’s when it all started. I have brain zaps all the time. I also have a hard time when I wake up in the morning because I can’t move my head off the pillow it’s like I’m paralyzed until it goes away and sometime it’s takes hours before I’m able to move.
I find myself crying because of the pain and being afraid. I haven’t taken Cymbalta to two years now. A lawyer contacted me because there is a class action lawsuit against the company who make the drug. They never listed brain zaps as a side effect. Thanks for listening guys.
This explains so much of what I’ve been feeling for past three weeks! I’m suffering from Anxiety and Depression. Went to seek help three months ago and got on Paroxetine (Seroxat). Of course with sleeping pills (Melatonin). I didn’t find the medications helpful. So I stopped taking immediately. Doctors have been asking me to change medications but I refused to take anymore medications.
Three weeks ago, I started having weird electric shocks to my brain. I freaked out and couldn’t find the cause of it. It’s getting worse. My heart flutters(?) or skip a beat or so. I’m not getting any sleep. I’m constantly having this weird electric shocks to my brain, which also causes dizziness and my heart seems to be working harder as usual.
Recently, whenever I shift my eyes to the sides, the electric shocks/jolt in my brain will start numbness to my lips, hands and neck. Sure, it will go away for a while, maybe 5-10 mins and then it will come for another 10 to 15 mins. It’s starting to drain me out.
If what I have are “brain zaps”; I’ve had them since I was about ten. I wasn’t on any meds then, and haven’t been on any now in well over three or four years. I was being prescribed Xanax and told it was for something else. I stopped seeing that doctor. They just started again in the last couple of years.
When I was young and when they first came back they were paralyzing and traveled the length of my spine. Now they seem to be primarily confined to my brain but allow me to move while they are continuing. They’re extremely painful and very frightening.
Since leaving my previous comment on 11 November 2016 (https://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/11/29/brain-zaps-causes-treatments-for-electrical-shock-sensations/#comment-152171) I have now settled down to a normal dull feeling on Fluoxetine. The change from Venlafaxine to Fluoxetine was the worst feeling I have had as a side effect of discontinuation and starting something new.
The brain zaps disappeared about 15 November 2016. Lots and lots of water, healthy eating, etc. seems to be the answer for me. However, I am sure that genetics play a big part in all of this, as would the person’s ability to accept the side effects and move on.
I am currently using 5-htp to help come off of Paroxetine. The brain zaps seem to me like crickets having a party in the back of my head. It even sounds to me like crickets when I turn my eyes or head. I have almost fallen from the dizziness, but my anxiety and depression seems to be relatively minor compared to being still on the drug.
I believe the 5-htp is helping with that part by picking up the slack of the missing Paroxetine. I have been on 10mg dose for over 5 years and tapered over 4 days using the supplement also, being careful not to use enough to cause serotonin syndrome. This is day 5 and I am still functioning, albeit with some discomfort.
I had tried to taper before without 5-htp and couldn’t handle the withdrawal symptoms. So far, this time is much better. I will not go back on this drug no matter what. I gained over 20 lbs and felt severe anxiety the last 6 months while taking the drug. Along with a laundry list of dangerous symptoms such as a heart rate down to 43. Never again.
Oh my goodness, I’ve had these for years and they are horrible. When I first started experiencing them, I had abruptly stopped taking Lexapro, per my MD instructions, and it was HORRIBLE. I have been on Cymbalta for years, and the only time I do not experience them is when I am on the maximum dose of 120mg. I still get them periodically if I’m late on a medication or especially if I miss a dose. I’m comforted to know that I am not alone.
I’m getting brain zaps after stopping sertraline. I get these brain zaps after waking myself up from lucid nightmares usually, but now I’m getting them when I’m awake.
I am also experiencing horrible brain zaps from Effexor. I’ve been slowly tapering my meds. Have not had any Effexor for a week now and it’s been so frustrating. I wish every Dr. had to take an anti-depressant and then try to get off of them just so they knew what it actually felt like!
I had generalized anxiety and panic attacks for over 10 years until I went to a different dr. who checked my hormones and guess what the anxiety/panic attacks have actually been due to low testosterone and cortisol. THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM!!!! Since balancing both of those things I no longer have anxiety/panic attacks.
I also have 3 friends who now have seen this dr who had previously been dealing with anxiety/depression. ALL OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE HORMONE IMBALANCES!!! Why doesn’t every dr check hormones seeing they can cause anxiety/depression and if they are not in the range, fix the real problem?
You know the horrible feeling when you bite tin foil… That’s how my brain feels like it’s being rubbed by tin foil. I’m not coming off of my medication I’m starting it 20mg Celexa.
I’m not sure what I have been experiencing is brain zaps, I call them “wooshes”– like being extremely startled, usually after first falling asleep. When I first heard of this symptom, it is currently the best explanation I have found. I have changed from venlafaxine back to escitalopram a couple of months ago as these symptoms where thought to possibly be from “over activation” effects. I was also taking much longer to fall asleep. The “wooshes” are much better, but the anti anxiety stability has been disrupted for me for now. Panic stinks.
Man I feel so relieved after reading this, as I was convinced that I had some pre seizure symptoms or some sort of brain disorder. I’m a hypochondriac, so that would probably be the cause of the zaps (anxiety), but they itself made me panic. I’m really hoping they’ll go away soon though, as I don’t want to freak myself out.
I also definitely only feel them right after or before sleeping, which makes it hard for me to relax. And the sensations intensify a lot when I move my eyes to the side.
I get these zaps randomly they feel like I put me brain on an electrical fence and it even sounds like an electrical shock like bzzzzAP. I’m not on any medication. I have gotten them relaxing, watching tv and I have gotten them while I was dreaming, that one was actually pretty scary, the zaps just kept coming one after the other for quite some time but the thing is, I didn’t realize I was asleep let alone dreaming until the zaps stopped and the scene changed it was kinda scary, I sat up wet with sweat and I had only been laying down for about 30 minutes, (looked at my watch) it’s very annoying and sometimes gives me a headache. Moving my eyes doesn’t always trigger it but every so often (again completely random) I’ll move my eyes and sometimes instead of the zaps I’ll get this weird rocking sensation like I’m being rocked side to side almost like when you’re drunk and your body starts spinning, it’s very annoying.
Have you seen your GP? Since you’re not on any medication to cause this for you.
I can confirm moving eyes side to side brings on the zaps like clockwork, but not up and down. Strange ey.
I remember using the term “brain shocks”, which I came up with myself back in 2004… because it was something that just started happening frequently. If I go for more than 2 or 3 hours without Venlafaxine, they start. Back then, I was on Lexapro… then Zoloft… all the same thing. I came up with the term because there was never any consolation from the doctor about it.
They didn’t know they happened. They used to look at me like I was making it up. Now, it’s the number one withdrawal. My conspiratorial mind, or maybe just my common sense, tells me that they are there to make sure we keep taking the medication… which caused the weird sensations to begin with. THC helps me more than any antidepressant, but now I am stuck living with these.
I have chemical depression, but I don’t think AD meds are meant to help it. I think they are there to hold us ransom in case we ever try to kick the meds. Pure MDMA in small doses has also been something that has never caused me discomfort or addictive behaviors. I am on this reservation now forever… and I think that is the real reason behind ADs.
Hi, I thought I was going mad till I began reading this information. Brain electrical zaps began when I reduced Paxil CR dose, I just quit and for the first 5 days I felt wonderful after that a nightmare. I went back to 12.5 mg of Paxil, and have the epival. I am taken it one day not the next, and the again. Withdrawal symptoms like brains zaps, and eye movement tinnitus and zaps are consisted. Any idea on what to do?
I have been tapering off 200 mg of Zoloft for over a year. Took it real slow, first down to 150 for a few months, then 100, then 50, then 25 and finally split the 25s for two weeks. Maybe I rushed the splits but I just want to be off the med. I came down with severe depression three years ago, attempted suicide and my doctor upped my Zoloft to the 200.
Two months later I developed extreme anxiety. My doctor then diagnosed Hashimoto’s autoimmune from the anxiety (blood work showed around 500 antibodies when there should have been less than 20). Began seeing and endocrinologist, more meds. At some point about a year ago I found out or woke up to the possibility that my crippling anxiety might be from the Zoloft and not the hypothyroidism.
Shocking realization… Began tapering and began having “brain zaps”. I thought they were from my vertigo/meniere’s disease (which my last ENT felt is not really my ears but my brain and to see neurologist…how interesting). The “brain zaps” never felt connected to the Zoloft tapering. I was so worried the “brain zaps” were an a sign of light epilepsy and would they let me do my job if anyone found out?
This page has really helped ease my nerves, it makes so much sense! FYI, the anxiety is much better, still not gone but I can live a little. I stopped seeing my endocrinologist because she didn’t seem to get that all my symptoms would be “different” once I wasn’t on Zoloft. Plan to pick up my thyroid treatments now that I can focus on the problem and symptoms that started the depression in the first place, my crazy thyroid.
I have brain zaps during periods of stress and they always occur just as I have drifted off to sleep. We have a history of epilepsy in the family and I did worry they might develop into something else but so far that hasn’t happened.
1-1/2 years ago I weaned off Xanax with the help of my Dr… During this process she put me on 5mgs of Lexapro per day to help prevent withdrawal symptoms from Xanax and it did help. About 3 months ago I felt the lexapro wasn’t working for me so my Dr put me on 10mgs per day. Several weeks ago I started weaning off the Lexapro as it really isn’t the medicine for me.
I lessened the dose to 5 mgs per day for 2 weeks then went to 5 mgs every other day for about 10 days then I stopped. 2 days after stopping I started getting brain zaps that just won’t stop unless I am sleeping. Eye movement triggers them too. It’s only been 5 days since they started but feels like forever.
They are terribly annoying as they are constant and interfere with my daily routine. I am praying that they stop soon because it’s driving me crazy! I don’t want to go on another medication so hopefully the zaps won’t last much longer.
I have experienced brain zaps as well. Specifically from stopping Wellbutrin (bupropion XL 300mg) cold turkey due to insurance problems. Serious headaches too.
I quit taking venlafaxine (immediate release, not XR) five days ago. My dose wasn’t very high: 75mg in the morning and 37.5 at night. I quit cold turkey. Anyway, my “brain zaps” are manifested as very very brief (fraction of a second), very intense feeling of dizziness and disorientation, accompanied by a rushing/white noise sound.
I’ve found it only happens when I move my eyes side-to-side; moving my eyes up and down does not produce the effect. I’ve found that if I stare straight forward, it helps to reduce the dizziness and nausea that follows. Really, my symptoms aren’t that bad. But if they were more severe, it could be very disruptive. I hope people dealing with it can find relief.
Finally a name!!!! I have been trying to describe these symptoms to my health care providers with very little results. Most will look at me with a sympathetic look of puzzlement. I personally called the symptom “whomps”. The reason is when I get a rhythmic zap (usually in multiple of fours) I can hear them in my ears as pulses. I can also see them in my eyes when I am in a dark room.
At least now I know it is not a fragment of my imagination. Yes I usually get zapped when I switch SSRI’s. So it is probably the withdrawal symptoms from the prior SSRI. The funny thing is when I went on Paxil the zap stopped immediately. Now a year later I am trying to switch off from Paxil and I am getting the zaps. Seems like going on to Wellbutrin is preventing the zaps but I also get other side effects. Just can’t win.
I am so glad I found this, but also a little freaked out too. I recently went off cymbalta and went off tramadol at roughly the same time. Never was I told of these side effects that everyone,like me, are experiencing on here. I cant even imagine having it for years… I have the brain zaps, the swishing, the painful eye movements virtually 24/7.
I haven’t been able to sleep (nightmares, insomnia), eat (nausea from vertigo/dizziness) or walk without a cane. This has only been going on for about 2 weeks and I already want to just go back on the meds to make it stop. The worst part, I think, is that my PCP never warned me of this. I have neurological Chronic Lyme which mine behaves much like MS. I have also found that Tramadol should not be used on patients with neuro disorders. It is sad that we have to figure all this out ourselves.
Am having brain zaps at present. It has been going on for three days now. Have experienced them for quite a few years now as has my sister. She advised me that B-12 has helped her so without hesitating I, also take B-12 and has helped enormously.
Please note that my sister and I have never taken any drugs for depression or any other drug for that matter so I do not know where that theory comes from. I am more inclined to believe that it could be stressed related but am not writing that in stone. What other theories as to why this happens is out there?
This article was an interesting read. I’ve been feeling brain zaps off and on for months now. I’ve never been on antidepressants so I don’t really know what is causing my zaps. It was pretty scary to feel them for the first time but they don’t scare me as much now. I will try fish oil and vitamin B12 and see if that helps at all. I’m curious as to why I’m experiencing these symptoms.
I quit talking Prozac cold turkey about 3 weeks now and I’m having these brain zaps, dizzy spells, and ringing in my ears. I am emotional more than I had been on the meds. And for now I’m waiting to see if I can stay off meds. If it gets bad I will go see my doctor for more information about where to go from here. I was taking 20mg.
I’ve been on Paxil for years (10 or more). I am not stopping taking the med, but suddenly I’m experiencing this “brain zap” effect. At first it was just in the morning when waking up, not fully awake but aware of the zapping.”
Since I take my Paxil in with breakfast this would be at the low point of it in my body. But now suddenly I’m experiencing these throughout the afternoon, too. Very annoying and I have not stopped taking it or missed doses, yet everything I read about these has to do with stopping taking it. Anyone else experience these while still taking the full doses?
I’ve been off effexor for a week and the shock sensations are severely uncomfortable. I was taking a gigantic 150 mg pill every day and that was okay ? however I did experience a lack of anger control while I was on effexor. I also would sometimes lash out in my sleep and strike my girlfriend which would lead me to wake up immediately and obviously feel very bad.
I was lucky enough that I never hit her in the face it was more the side or the stomach but never full force because I would always slow down the strike on account of me waking up mid swing but I could never entirely stop the hit just make it much less harmful. Still this “side effect” obviously troubled me very much and made me question why I was even on this medication. Sure I was never sad, ever, and I was no longer anxious in social situations but my interactions with people didn’t improve in the sense that I was still stone silent most of the time, even when an emotional response would be easily warranted.
I would just find myself thinking about my response at a distance in my mind with no outer reaction at all. Very peculiar indeed. I went to the pharmacy to pick up my expensive prescription but found that my prescription was no longer in their records so they refused to give me my meds. Instead of going to my family doctor and inquiring I simply stopped taking effexor because well, I didn’t have any left.
I didn’t and don’t feel like I required it to function on a daily basis and so it was rather expensive and pointless. I’m still experiencing “jolts” throughout my neck shoulders and arms however they have become less severe over the course of a full week. I tried moving my eyes side to side as mentioned in this article and it triggered the shocks pretty good so obviously I won’t be doing that again.
I’m relieved to find that my prediction was correct in that the jolts are a side effect of discontinuing my prescription. Anyway, have fun with the jolts folks they will eventually pass and you can stop looking like a maniac from the uncontrollable twitching.
So glad to have found this. I’ve been on citalopram for around 3 or 4 years and I could always tell if I skipped my meds because I would experience the brain zaps, but I didn’t know what it was! It scared me and made me more anxious. I had a hard time driving and focusing in class and work. I would get dizzy and it was like the brain zap was zapping my brain to get it to focus again and it would happen over and over again. ALL DAY. It is very frustrating and I haven’t gotten off of my meds because of them. Tapering may help though! I will definitely try that next. Great article!! It answered all of my questions!
I feel like my brain shuts off for a second and then zap it’s back on! Horrible makes me dizzy and nauseous.
I had been taking 800 MG of magnesium a day for over 18on the to help with bowel problems. It had lead to the bowel issues but had put a tremendous strain on my kidneys, so I discontinued it completely. I have been experiencing the zaps for over a week now, and upon researching I found that Magnesium acts as an antidepressant… who knew?? Your article was very helpful and alleviated a lot of anxiety that I was experiencing. Thank you!
I’ve been on Citalopram, 40mg/day for the last several years, and occasionally, I lack the money to refill the medication on time, so I will go without for a week or so. After about 3-4 days of being off the Citalopram, I begin experiencing these brain zaps, although I had been calling them brain jogs, and though I also take Depakote and Adderall, the only thing that seems to relieve the zaps for me while I’m off the Citalopram is higher doses of Adderall.
If I take 20mg of Adderall rather than my usual 10, the zaps will either lessen significantly enough for me to function throughout the day, or be gone entirely. The way that they feel for me is similar to how they are described in this post, but I encounter something slightly different, and am also wondering if anyone else has the same issue.
I experience these zaps as mini-blackouts in a way; like, I’ll feel the zap in my brain, get kinda dizzy, one of my limbs will twitch randomly, and my vision will go black for a split second (or so it seems), and then I can see normally again after a few seconds. Though the author says these zaps are not physically dangerous, due to how I experience mine, I slightly disagree. If this happens to me while I’m driving, for instance, a task through responsibility that I usually can’t avoid, the blackout takes my attention away from the road, and in that way, I see these episodes as potentially dangerous.
Does anyone else experience the zaps as I do? Thanks for reading, and be well, everyone!