DOSE:

25 - 50 mg

oral

Pharms - Sertraline

(daily)

BODY WEIGHT:

130 lb

Prescribed Zoloft for depression by psychiatrist after Prozac caused side effects like feeling less happy and somewhat emotionless. Have been taking ~50 mg PO for months now, though I started at 25 mg daily for about 2 months. Symptoms alleviated include depression, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. I did not feel an increase in suicidal thoughts when I started taking sertraline.

After my sertraline prescription fell through a few months into taking SSRIs daily, my withdrawal manifested as extreme mood swings and a resurgence of depression. I would frequently have crying fits where I scratched myself and hit my head as self-harm. Getting back onto sertraline has meant that I haven’t had a similar fit since, and self-harm is much more controlled and infrequent.

My depression has alleviated from day to day. Most of my most extreme thoughts occur during PMS, but these periods are controllable and are relieved by the time my period starts. My social anxiety (which is inherited along with my anxiety from my father + paternal grandmother) has somewhat been relieved, and I can function okay in social situations.

I haven’t lost my emotions and do not feel “zombified” by sertraline. I can still feel extremes of happiness, anger, etc. and a normal level of sadness, but cry less frequently. My highs are about the same, but the lows are much less low and I have made it through big life changes since starting this drug. As my family has a history of depression + anxiety that has been well-treated by pharmaceuticals, this is expected behavior.

As for sexual dysfunction, I haven’t noticed much. I’m a volcel, but sertraline hasn’t stopped my libido from remaining at its above-average level frok before I got medicated. I can still get off and enjoy doing so, with not much change in the physical experience.

Sertraline may have saved my life, or at least has prevented me from having a meltdown and dropping out of college. Therapy hasn’t been needed and I think it’s a ripoff anyway. Thx Zoloft, will continue with same dose for future as far as I know.

Exp Year: 2024	ExpID: 118956
Gender: Female
Age at time of experience: 19
Published: Jul 12, 2025	Views: Not Supported
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Pharms - Sertraline (88) : Retrospective / Summary (11), Therapeutic Intent or Outcome (49), Medical Use (47), Alone (16)