Sertraline and Depression: What Users Say

• Kri...
• June 6, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "SERTRALINE WORKS! I have been on Zoloft for about 2 weeks now like the doctor said. At the beginning, it was horrible. Really bad anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts got worse. I felt so hopeless. I didn't want to get out of bed. My stomach hurt, and I stopped eating. I lost around 15 pounds and had issues sleeping. I get really tired and drowsy and take a nap in the morning. Now all the side effects are gone. The next week I felt really calm. Felt like I had no emotion. It was hard. It was more depression than anxiety. But now it's been 2 weeks, and I'm doing fun things and laughing and smiling again. It's like my anxiety is gone. It's great. I still get a moment of it, but it's not all day like before. This really works, and it's rough at the beginning, but it will pay off in the end! You got this!"

• Was...
• September 3, 2020

Sertraline for Depression "About 6 weeks ago, I started Zoloft at 25 mg for GAD, mild depression, and some PTSD and OCD symptoms. Before you continue reading, please understand that my experience likely will not be yours, as is the case with every single review you'll read. Do not be scared to start. It absolutely helped. My overall mood didn't change much, but it helped the physical symptoms of my anxiety and helped me cope with my life stresses. I began to enjoy doing things I love again. I still had bad days, but I was overall functioning well and productive, although I still had not the best outlook on life. Side effects I experienced: insomnia, daily headaches similar to hangovers, shakiness, increased depression the first week, decreased appetite, menstrual changes, and decreased libido. Again, this is just my experience. Do not be afraid to give it a try, people are much more likely to leave negative reviews, I just wanted to leave a review to help others. Best of luck, you've got this!"

• And...
• March 1, 2019

Sertraline for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I used to cry uncontrollably, be extremely irritable, uncomfortable in my body, lethargic, so depressed I couldn't get out of bed, have suicidal ideation, etc. Now with Zoloft, I have NONE of those symptoms anymore. My relationships are no longer being torn apart. I don't feel embarrassed by illogical mood swings or uncontrollable blabbering. I don't cry myself to sleep. I feel happy, optimistic, peaceful, and completely BALANCED. Zoloft has given me my life back. I had to stop taking it for 2 months due to a different health issue. ALL of my symptoms returned. I was basically losing my mind for two months. A couple of weeks back on Zoloft and I was again calm, happy, peaceful. I don't have any noticeable side effects. I started at 25mg for the first 5 months (still got quite lethargic and depressed) and now I am on 50mg, and I'm like all those women running through fields in white dresses in tampon commercials. Who knew, it isn't the tampons making them so happy...it's the Zoloft!"

• Lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 10, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "4 weeks ago I switched to sertraline 50mg as my other medication stopped working. I was on Lexapro for 6 years which changed my life! I found sertraline has really helped with my anxiety and depression, and I'm finding my daily living as a busy mom of 3, a caregiver for my husband, and a dog mom a lot more enjoyable. I am increasing today to 100mg of sertraline as this increase is needed to suit me. I found the first 2 weeks starting sertraline heightened my anxiety and depression, which Xanax helped ease the heightened anxiety for the first 2 weeks, but I held on and I am glad I did. I hope this helps someone else."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2019

Sertraline for Social Anxiety Disorder "On Zoloft for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The first few weeks were honestly so bad. I had such bad brain fog, more anxiety, depression, wanted to sleep all the time, etc. I couldn’t eat and lost about 7 pounds within a few weeks. Things were not looking good but I pushed through it. One morning I woke up and my life had been changed. I found out what it was like to feel like everything would be okay. I am so happy I take this medicine and I recommend it for anxiety if you’re willing to push through the beginning. I have a new view on life and it feels so good."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 24, 2019

Sertraline for Depression "I am a 34-year-old woman who has been living with depression since I was 12. Depression had me feel like I was Atlas (from Greek mythology) with a lifetime of struggle to roll a boulder uphill. Initially, I was against the idea of being on an antidepressant. I finally caved in when a break-up threw me into a tailspin of never-ending crying and sadness. At the doctor's office, he forewarned me that the first 6 weeks are going to be tough and to brave the storm until the medication builds up in my system. I had 3 weeks of side effects that had me feeling more depressed and fatigued. However, I got through it, and my life has changed for the better. Presently, I am more outgoing and actually feel like a 'normal' person again. I am finally truly and sincerely happy and have gained more friends because of that. If you are thinking about trying this medication but are still unsure, take the risk. I can't describe how great it is to finally have your life back."

• Mr ...
• April 30, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "27-year-old from the UK, Carlisle, on 50mg Sertraline. This medication is excellent. I have tried: Prozac (impulsive & diarrhea), Mirtazapine (5-stone weight gain), Citalopram (severe depression resulting in a constant stream of suicidal thoughts, NEVER AGAIN!), Venlafaxine (severe anxiety and nervousness), Amitriptyline (sedation). I have been on this for 2 weeks. When it started working, I felt happy and calm. I didn't wake feeling angry and fed up with life. My memory has improved, and my sleep has improved. I can go outside, which I was unable to do before. I don't comfort eat, I don't ruminate over negative things, I'm interested in my hobbies again, and I am more outspoken and unafraid of confrontation. It is out of this world! Keep trying and don't give up. You will wake up one day out of this waking coma and see the color of reality again, just keep trying different medications. No matter what, keep going! I have been depressed and anxious for years, this has truly saved me from oblivion."

• Bet...
• July 16, 2010

Sertraline for Depression "I started taking 50mg generic sertraline about 2 weeks ago. I have had a very good experience with it and I love it. Thank God for this medicine and the improvements that it makes on the brain chemistry. Only experienced diarrhea for 1 day (which was okay for me because I've always struggled with constipation which only contributed to fatigue and depression). I'm more social (before I didn't care about doing much, even though I wanted to go out, when it came time to, I would end up going to bed), more easy going, less irritable and cranky. So much more patient with my kids. No side effects for me. Oh and I'm not eating ravenously at night because of stress and anxiety like I used to so it's helping me lose weight. Yay!"

• Lis...
• September 23, 2020

Sertraline for Depression "Last February to April, I had a really bad bout with anxiety and depression. I tried Prozac and Cymbalta and had really bad side effects with both of them. I started 25mg of Zoloft in May 2020. About a month later, I went to 50mg and now am up to 75mg. I may even consider going to 100mg. The anxiety was better pretty quickly, the fatigue/depression took a bit longer, still some improvement needed, but so much better. I have also noticed that my PMS is barely noticeable. Very little to no agitation in the days before my period. My advice would be to increase slowly and allow time for improvement. It is gradual and can take months, but worth the wait."

• Kee...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 11, 2024

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I want others to know the importance of pushing through the beginning, even when you think you can’t. I thought I was too far gone and that I was destined for a lifetime of anxiety, panic, and OCD. The first 2 months are tough. Every dosage increase is another bump in the road. HOLD ON. It takes time, but this medication WORKS. I had awful OCD, anxiety, self-doubt, and low self-worth. After a low point and a job failure, every day was spent inside my head obsessing about past mistakes, worrying about the future, completely stuck in rumination and unable to live in the moment. When starting sertraline, it is hard, things do get worse before they get better. But things will improve, one day at a time. After 3 months, I am 90% back to myself. I still have fleeting moments, however, they do pass quickly with no sticking or obsessing. For anyone struggling, please believe in yourself. You would be very surprised how many others are going through a similar situation. Trust the process."

• Chi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2014

For Anxiety and Stress "I was under huge amounts of stress. Divorce, lost my home, my car, and no child support. Then 2 of my kids left for college. I went on like this for 3 years and finally broke down. I couldn't function, I couldn't go out in public, I hated life. I felt like the worst person in the world and wanted to die. I finally went to the doc. She gave me 50mg and it made my anxiety skyrocket, helped my depression though. She cut me back to 25mg. No luck, went back to 50mg with Ativan as needed. Finally, after 2 months, I went up to 100mg with clonazepam as needed and now I am depression and anxiety-free, and no more clonazepam. No more negative ruminating thoughts, no more feelings of worthlessness. It has brought me back to life which I have not felt for years!"

• MBM...
• June 2, 2020

Sertraline for Social Anxiety Disorder "I started with Zoloft for GAD and derealization. I started with 25mg for one week and then I upped to 50mg, but the side effects were too bad, so I went back down to 25mg. My God, the beginning was terrible! Anxiety was so much worse, feeling terrified, depressed, feeling guilt, crying, brain fog, and nausea. I lost almost 8kg in 2 weeks because I couldn't eat. My psychiatrist told me to take 0.5mg of Clonazepam until the side effects lift. After exactly 4 weeks, I can say that all the side effects are gone. I feel a bit sleepy, but I am much more calm, no anxiety at all, no guilty feeling. Derealization is still here but much less, and I don't care about her, so she will go away with time too. I went back to work and started socializing again. I take only 1/8 of Clonazepam now. I will up my dose in a few days, but slowly. I PROMISE you that the starting side effects will pass. Trust me! I know how hard it is. This is a reminder for me too if the upping brings back the side effects."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 30, 2017

Sertraline for Panic Disorder "Life saver. Few side effects initially (increased depression and anxiety, decreased appetite, insomnia and agitation), no side effects long term. Push through those horrible first two weeks. At week three my depression was GONE, agitation completely gone, panic attacks gone. Some general anxiety, But that subsided after a couple of months. I was on this medication for a year, and got off it with little to no withdrawal symptoms. I STRONGLY recommend starting as low as 12.5 mg for a week, then 25 for a week. Cut the 25 mg tablets in half. This eases those horrible initial side effects, especially anxiety and agitation. Big hugs and high five to all of you anxiety/depression sufferers out there. You can and you Will get better!"

• Aln...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "3rd time on Sertraline, for Anxiety & 'Pure' OCD issues. I checked this website often for reassurance so it is fair I contributed. This time I had the worst reaction. Started off 50mg - the first 2 weeks were a nightmare. Awful, deep anxiety/panic took over my mind. Extremely low moods, restlessness, feeling hopeless, and not being able to distract from my negative thoughts were the worst mental side effects. After 2 weeks the worst of the mental side effects had subsided. The following 4 weeks were low, but at 6 weeks I saw an improvement. Increased to 100mg at week 7 and fell slightly back again for a while. At around 12 weeks I started feeling the full effects. Approaching the end of week 16 now and I cannot believe how much more normal I feel! Anxiety has completely gone. OCD thinking is still there but residual. Persevere and know that medication takes time to work. Regardless of what your MH problem is, NEVER give up - help and hope is there!"

• EMa...
• September 24, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "My OCD obsessive thoughts began when I was 14. I’m now 25. I have struggled for so long trying to feel happy, wondering why I felt everything so deeply, being so sad behind closed doors. Since lockdown and coronavirus, I hit a real low. Everything that I got enjoyment from disappeared from my life, and I hit an ‘it’s now or never’ point in regards to taking medication. I thought I was unfixable, that I would never feel content, and I spent years trying to come to terms with this. But since starting 50mg of sertraline 4 months ago, I have never felt better. I feel so calm and relaxed, genuine happiness from within, and an inability to overthink that I’ve never felt before. The thoughts remain, maybe for a few seconds until I dismiss them. Even on days I feel a little anxious, it doesn’t last long, and I have not gotten to the point of despair that I lived in before. My experience has been so worth it, and I will continue this medication for as long as I need!"

• Lou...
• September 9, 2018

Sertraline for Depression "Just take these reviews with a grain of salt. A lot of reviews after taking one day, couple weeks, etc. You need a full three months for maximum effectiveness. Not that it takes that long to start getting relief. Side effects are common while your body adjusts. Some of them will go away. I had no troublesome side effects with Zoloft. I always have to start out gradually. Maybe even more than they say because I’m sensitive to meds. I got big relief from depression. Panic attacks went away. OCD went away. The cons are it made me not very motivated, felt kind of numb to strong feelings. Not feeling urgency about my life. I wouldn’t take it again for years because it blocked my clear perspective. But it was great to get me stabilized. Things that really help but can’t completely replace anti-depression is fish oil, Vit D, exercise, sunlight, folate like spinach, lentils really good. Also, diet really helps. Get a book called the Good Mood Diet."

• Bul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been on Sertraline 50 mg for a bit more than 3 weeks. I feel so sick and depressed. Not sure if it will work for me or not. I've been suffering so much. I wasn't even depressed before. I started to take this med for anxiety, but it makes me extremely depressed with lots of intrusive thoughts. Hope it is just a side effect that will go away soon. Is there anybody out there who had a similar experience and got better with time? Please give me some hope! :("

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2013

Sertraline for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started Zoloft in July. I never wanted to be on medication, this was my last resort. I was a wreck mentally. I was only stable the week after my period, I would get very moody. My moods range from depression to panic attacks and so forth. The first 3 days were the hardest, the medicine seemed to make my symptoms worse, but after about day 5, I felt the medicine start to have the opposite effect, and I was more at ease. I am completing my fifth month on Zoloft, and I am sure glad I started it. I am back to my old self, but I'm not zoned out. I still have my real emotions, I'm just not as touchy as I was before Zoloft. I can get through the little things without having a mental breakdown."

• Hop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2013

Sertraline for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I started Zoloft in July. I never wanted to be on medication, this was my last resort. I was a wreck mentally. I was only stable the week after my period, I would get very moody. My moods range from depression to panic attacks and so forth. The first 3 days were the hardest, the medicine seemed to make my symptoms worse, but after about day 5, I felt the medicine start to have the opposite effect, and I was more at ease. I am completing my fifth month on Zoloft, and I am sure glad I started it. I am back to my old self, but I'm not zoned out. I still have my real emotions, I'm just not as touchy as I was before Zoloft. I can get through the little things without having a mental breakdown."

• Chr...
• October 9, 2015

Sertraline for Postpartum Depression "Zoloft saved my life after having postnatal anxiety after the birth of each of my children. I had severe anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia which led to depression. I was fearful about being alone. I was hospitalized for 8-12 weeks each time. Anxiety and depression are heightened when you first start this medication, so don't give up on it. Give it a chance to work. It took at least 8-10 weeks to start feeling like myself again, then 12 weeks for symptoms to disappear. Don't be afraid to take a sedative at the start to ease the bumpy side effects. Stick it out. It will be worth it in the long run. I frantically googled reviews on here just like you, so I wanted to write my story to encourage another mom experiencing similar symptoms."

• Anx...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 1, 2013

Sertraline for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I have struggled with anxiety for years, and I've improved Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in a way that would increase my quality of life. I've been taking 50 to 250 milligrams of Zoloft for the course of almost 7 years, and I've been getting 5 to 8 hours of sleep every day. I was going from C's and D's in school to mostly A's and B's, and my memory was becoming crystal clear. When I decided to go down to 25mg, I began to experience more anxiety, more depression, more insomnia, and more OCD-like symptoms. Even if I had a good day under 25mg of Zoloft, I wasn't confident about myself and didn't like the person that I was becoming. I'm telling you, this medication does work to treat your anxiety, it just takes time to work."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 6, 2020

Sertraline for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I've been taking Zoloft 100 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg, and Abilify 5 mg for well over a year now for OCD. Every time I try to taper off, my OCD spirals into suicidal obsessions, which brings on depression and hopelessness. The combination I take helps, but it is not a miracle. Did it save my life? I believe so. Don’t be afraid to try medication if you’re already at rock bottom. Stay strong and persevere. Cheers! XOXO."

• Sta...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 6, 2020

Sertraline for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I've been taking Zoloft 100 mg, Wellbutrin 300 mg, and Abilify 5 mg for well over a year now for OCD. Every time I try to taper off, my OCD spirals into suicidal obsessions, which brings on depression and hopelessness. The combination I take helps, but it is not a miracle. Did it save my life? I believe so. Don’t be afraid to try medication if you’re already at rock bottom. Stay strong and persevere. Cheers! XOXO."

• Anonymous
• February 1, 2012

Sertraline for Panic Disorder "I remember looking at this website 5 or so months ago trying to find reviews on Zoloft, and I must admit it scared me to even try it. I have been struggling with anxiety/panic disorder since the age of 13. (I am now 19.) It would come and go, I would be good for a few months and then have a month of extreme anxiety. I have tried almost every medication out there, from Celexa, Paxil, Lexapro, Abilify, and many more. All of them made me feel emotionless. Yeah, the anxiety was gone but so were all my other emotions. I went a year without any medication, only to hit rock bottom. I couldn't leave the house, I quit my job, and overall lost my passion for life! Zoloft changed that, it truly saved my life! I HIGHLY recommend Zoloft!"

• Ali...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 24, 2013

Sertraline for Depression "I went through a bad period of depression after a job loss, and I tried Lexapro first for treating it. The Lexapro made me extremely tired all the time, so my doctor switched me to Zoloft. Zoloft ended up being much better for me. The main things it has helped me with are getting back to actively participating in life and being able to be more level-headed in stressful situations. The side effects I have had are reduced libido and slightly reduced appetite. Also, the first week or two after I started and after a dosage increase, I had more significant side effects, like being more depressed and anxious than usual and being angry. But once I got through that, I started feeling better than I had felt in a long time."