Some people are having hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms after stopping GLP-1 drugs

New case reports in The Primary Care Companion CNS Disorders describe two men who experienced psychiatric symptoms after stopping tirzepatide, according to the New York Post. The Post said research is only beginning to uncover the psychiatric effects of stopping a drug that may affect how the brain processes mood and rewards.

The first case involved a 61-year-old man who stopped tirzepatide, sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound, in August 2025 because of nausea. Two months later, he was hospitalized for worsening confusion and erratic behavior. According to the Post, doctors noted paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations and Cotard's delusion, a condition in which a patient believes they are dead or do not exist. His symptoms met the criteria for a psychotic disorder.

Although the man had a history of depression, the Post reported that his condition worsened significantly in the month before his hospitalization. Tests on his cerebrospinal fluid, along with brain MRIs and an electroencephalogram, all came back normal, ruling out several other causes. Doctors told him to continue his antidepressant, Zoloft, and put him on two other antipsychotics, Zyprexa and Haldol.

His psychotic symptoms and depression initially improved enough for him to return home, but he was readmitted weeks later for depression with catatonic features, becoming motionless and unresponsive. The Post said he ultimately required inpatient care and was treated with electroconvulsive therapy.

The second case involved a 52-year-old patient who stopped the same medication abruptly in September 2025 after significant weight loss. The Post reported that he had shed 100 pounds over six months. The source text provided ends at that point, so it does not describe his psychiatric symptoms, diagnosis or treatment.

The Post also reported that by the end of their first year on GLP-1s, more than half of patients stop taking the medication. It listed high costs, unpleasant side effects and satisfaction with the weight already lost as reasons, and said the catch is that the weight is likely to come back fast after stopping the medication.

The other coverage in this trend focused on possible new uses for GLP-1 drugs rather than withdrawal effects. The Pharmacist reported that semaglutide will be tested as a treatment for alcohol and opioid addiction, while the Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network described a VA trial to study the effects of GLP-1s for alcohol use disorder among veterans. Yahoo Health covered the idea that GLP-1s may help with more than food cravings, and Psychiatric Times examined what the Post called "The Ozempic Dilemma: Promises and Pitfalls in Psychiatry."