Zoloft and Depression: What Users Say

• Was...
• September 3, 2020

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

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!"

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

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

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."

• Bet...
• July 16, 2010

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

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."

• MBM...
• June 2, 2020

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

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!"

• Lou...
• September 9, 2018

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."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2018

For Depression "I was placed on Zoloft after being on citalopram for 3 years. I was on 25 mg of Zoloft for about a week and bumped to 50 mg for 21 days. Then bumped to 75 mg where I’ve been for 3 weeks, so about 7 weeks total. My anxiety is gone & I’m way more mellow. I had two job interviews and didn’t have any panic or meltdowns, so that’s great. I noticed I’m way more apathetic and that my libido is gone. I still have days where I’m feeling empty (even though I have tons of friends and family that I adore) and where I cry. I also feel very spacey at times. I function okay I think and I am able to take care of errands, the household, and my child. I may lower back down to 50 mg if I continue to feel numb on 75 mg after 8 weeks. This medicine isn’t scary, don’t be afraid to try it. Please also remember that it takes months for it to start working and some people stop taking this medicine early before it could have begun to help."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2018

For Depression "I was placed on Zoloft after being on citalopram for 3 years. I was on 25 mg of Zoloft for about a week and bumped to 50 mg for 21 days. Then bumped to 75 mg where I’ve been for 3 weeks, so about 7 weeks total. My anxiety is gone & I’m way more mellow. I had two job interviews and didn’t have any panic or meltdowns, so that’s great. I noticed I’m way more apathetic and that my libido is gone. I still have days where I’m feeling empty (even though I have tons of friends and family that I adore) and where I cry. I also feel very spacey at times. I function okay I think and I am able to take care of errands, the household, and my child. I may lower back down to 50 mg if I continue to feel numb on 75 mg after 8 weeks. This medicine isn’t scary, don’t be afraid to try it. Please also remember that it takes months for it to start working and some people stop taking this medicine early before it could have begun to help."

• Oph...
• October 7, 2019

For Depression "I started this medicine, Zoloft, in June. Day one was totally fine. I started on 50 mg. Day two is when everything went downhill. I had constant panic, I couldn’t sleep because I had awful nightmares. I swore I could hear voices while I drifted off to sleep, so that would scare me. I didn’t eat, and if I did, I would just vomit later. I had suicidal thoughts, which I’ve never felt before. I was getting treated for anxiety, not depression. I also felt so spaced out and so sad, I cried a lot. My husband was so afraid for me that he missed a week of work because he was afraid to leave me alone. After an awful week, things started to slowly improve. I believe by week 5, I started to feel normal. I also had my medication increased to 100 mg. I carried emergency Xanax with me everywhere the first two months, but stopped using it after week 8. After all that, I feel completely normal and back to my old self. I do have some bad days, and recently I had an increase in the medication, but I’ve been pretty normal."

• Cat...
• July 12, 2015

For Social Anxiety Disorder "My 15-year-old daughter was practically a recluse. She is bipolar and taking Seroquel, Lamictal, and Intuniv, but she was depressed and had such social anxiety that she couldn't even leave her room. After 3 weeks, she is the daughter I knew to be. She still has issues, but going outside of the house is not one of them. I am so happy with this medication. She started at 25 mg and is now at 50 mg. What a godsend."

• Uni...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2016

For Depression "Zoloft has given me the last leap I need to heal my mind. I have been struggling with severe anxiety, insomnia, and bouts of depression for 3 years. While I have been off work, in therapy, and trying other means of rehabilitation, for the first time in years, I actually feel calmer most of the time and mostly happy. I'm so grateful. It's been a trial and error and a slow process, but I know my self-care is my main priority now. See more of my story: mental-health-matters-a-womans-story-of-the-struggle. Good luck to all."

• rob...
• November 19, 2013

For Social Anxiety Disorder "Been on 50 mg for 2 days now (started for a week on 25 mg) and now that I take the higher dose, my mood is a bit better, but my social anxiety is a lot better. The feeling of making people laugh is amazing when you are not afraid to speak, although maybe not drink on this? I had 3 drinks and became so upset and depressed."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 10, 2017

For Depression "I have been on Zoloft for 7 months now, and it has really improved my life. The first few weeks were absolutely brutal. I couldn't focus, was super dizzy, nauseous, and more depressed, etc. However, I stuck with it, and after about a month, the depression started to get much better. Of course, I still have my days (who doesn't?), but I would highly recommend trying Zoloft if you can get through the first few weeks. It truly has changed my life for the better."

• Gan...
• August 7, 2018

For Depression "I'm a 31-year-old male who has had challenges with depression and anxiety throughout my life. I have been on several different meds in my past, including Lexapro, Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Prozac, Zoloft, and some others as well. Of all of these meds, I've found Zoloft works the best for me. However, the worst thing I experience with Zoloft is decreased libido, as with all of the other meds I've tried, except for Wellbutrin. This side effect truly sucks. Zoloft also kind of makes me feel robotic and emotionally numb. Currently, I'm experimenting with another medication (Viibryd) in an attempt to find a med that works without having sexual side effects. However, Zoloft is my fallback option because this med at least stabilizes me and helps me function in society. Therefore, I give this med a 7 out of 10. My advice to everyone is to keep being patient with meds and realize that it might take some time and trial and error. And always keep hanging in there no matter what. Good luck."