Trazodone Withdrawal: Rebound Insomnia, Anxiety and How People Stop
Stopping trazodone suddenly can bring withdrawal symptoms, and for many people sleep gets worse again.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-11-02 · 4 min read
Clinical section reviewed by Dr. Jason Tan , Consultant Psychiatrist, on October 27, 2026.
Key takeaways The FDA label asks for a gradual reduction rather than stopping trazodone suddenly; its advice is written for depression doses, while many people take a low dose for sleep. MedlinePlus lists dizziness, nausea, anxiety, agitation and trouble sleeping among withdrawal symptoms. On Reddit, only 17 people gave a length; the typical answer was about 2 weeks, though some said months. Sleep problems were the symptom named most. Plan any stop with your prescriber, especially if you take trazodone for sleep. On this page
Will your sleep get worse when you stop trazodone? How long did trazodone withdrawal last for people on Reddit? Is it withdrawal or the insomnia coming back? Stopping trazodone suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. The FDA label asks for a gradual reduction whenever possible. MedlinePlus lists dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion, anxiety, agitation, trouble sleeping, extreme tiredness, tingling or burning in the hands or feet, an abnormally excited mood, ringing in the ears, sweating and seizures among the symptoms of a sudden stop. A seizure needs emergency help.
The label's advice is written for depression, at doses of 150 to 400 mg a day; many people take 25 to 100 mg at night for sleep, which is off-label, so the label speaks to them less directly. For them the common worry is rebound insomnia, sleep that gets worse for a while after stopping.
Will your sleep get worse when you stop trazodone?
It can for a while. Trouble sleeping is on MedlinePlus's list of withdrawal symptoms, and on Reddit, sleep problems or vivid dreams were what people named most after stopping, 22 of 70. There is no good research on how long this lasts after trazodone taken for sleep. If poor sleep after a cut is hard to bear, or still there after a couple of weeks, tell your prescriber; going back to the last dose that worked and reducing more slowly is a common step.
How long did trazodone withdrawal last for people on Reddit?
We read 75 recent threads about stopping trazodone, mostly on r/insomnia, so mostly people who took it for sleep, comments included, and 70 people described stopping or cutting down. These are their own accounts, not clinical measurements, and people with a hard time are more likely to post, so treat this as a range of experiences rather than odds. Only 17 said how long their withdrawal lasted: the typical answer was about 2 weeks, with some saying it ran to several months.
Of the 70, 34 said how they stopped: 19 stopped all at once and 15 lowered the dose first. The table counts symptoms from all 70, and one person could name several:
Symptom people named Of 70 people Sleep problems or vivid dreams 22 Anxiety or panic 12 Dizziness 7 Low mood or crying 6 None, or barely any 15
Of the 70, 41 said where they ended up: 13 were off and doing fine, 11 were off but still struggling, 14 were still cutting down and 3 went back on. One person on r/insomnia wrote:
THE WORST anxiety and restlessness
Another came off easily:
with no ill effects at all
Is it withdrawal or the insomnia coming back? Medically reviewed by Dr. Jason Tan on October 27, 2026, this section only.
Both can happen, and they can feel alike. Trouble sleeping is listed among withdrawal symptoms, and the sleep problem trazodone was treating may also return. Timing is the main clue. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says withdrawal symptoms usually appear within days of stopping, and that depression returning after weeks or months is most likely the original condition coming back. The same logic fits insomnia: sleep like it was before you started, coming back weeks later and without physical symptoms such as dizziness, tingling or nausea, points to the insomnia itself. The clinical view:
Stopping an antidepressant gradually, with your prescriber, lowers the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
When a dose is cut or stopped, the brain has to adjust. That adjustment can cause withdrawal, also called discontinuation symptoms, such as dizziness, brain zaps, nausea, poor sleep and irritability.
For many people symptoms are mild and pass within a couple of weeks. For others they are severe or last for months, and there is no reliable way to know in advance, although longer use, higher doses, medications that leave the body quickly and withdrawal on a past attempt all raise the risk. Stopping all at once carries the highest risk.
If symptoms during a reduction are hard to bear, talk to your prescriber. The usual step is to go back to the last dose that felt stable, then reduce more slowly. ## What should you tell your prescriber before stopping trazodone?
Plan the stop with your prescriber before you cut a dose. It helps to tell them:
Why you want to stop, and what you take trazodone for. Your dose and how long you have taken it. How you slept before starting it. Other sleep aids or antidepressants you take. Big events coming up that need good sleep. More on doses in trazodone dosage .
Open the trazodone taper calculator Stopping trazodone goes more smoothly with a plan and a sleep diary. The withClaro taper calculator builds a gradual plan for trazodone to discuss with your prescriber.
Frequently asked questions I stopped trazodone suddenly a week ago. What now? Tell your prescriber how you stopped, when, and what you feel. If symptoms are hard to bear, going back to your last dose and reducing more slowly is a common step, but decide it with them rather than restarting on your own.
When should withdrawal symptoms worry me? A seizure needs emergency help. Call your prescriber soon if symptoms are severe or keep getting worse. If you're having thoughts of harming yourself, contact emergency services or a crisis line straight away. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123. Elsewhere, find a crisis line near you.
Will my insomnia come back after stopping trazodone? It can. Keep a sleep diary and share it with your prescriber.
Is trazodone addictive? Its potential for abuse hasn't been studied systematically, but no drug-seeking behavior was seen in clinical studies, and it isn't a controlled substance. Your body still adjusts to it, which is why a sudden stop can bring withdrawal.
Related articles
More about Trazodone Same topic, other medications
Taper guides
Sources TRAZODONE HYDROCHLORIDE tablets prescribing information, US Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed MedlinePlus: Trazodone Royal College of Psychiatrists: Stopping antidepressants Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).