I started taking zoloft late last year and holy itβs been such a life saver! I did have really bad stomach-related side effects for 3-4 months but have since sorted that out with diet and eating schedule. Kind of annoying but super worth it for me! Good luck ππ
I was in a similar boat as you when I first went on SSRIs (Zoloft) back in 2014. Even after seeing a psychiatrist per my therapistβs recc, it took me about 2 weeks *after* I was prescribed to finally decide to take them. Whether it was placebo or real, I noticed it helped me self-regulate better and feel like I could make therapeutic progress and incremental changes without being totally overwhelmed constantly / breaking down emotionally. Ive since been off and on for Multi-year stretches depending on my needs and circumstance and Iβd recommend it to anyone. I was lucky and the only side affect I had on 50-100 mg of Zoloft was slightly reduced appetite. Itβs worth a try! And you can always taper off if you donβt like it :)
i got lucky with zoloft and didnt have to switch around. main side effect for me is iβm always sleepy but i remember realizing it was worth it when i was making coffee in the kitchen one morning and started laughing to myself for the first time since i could remember
My first SSRI was zoloft, which worked for a bit (stopped my OCD poisoning fears almost immediately), but I kept needing to increase the dose. Eventually I was overweight from it and still miserable so I tapered off.
After trying buspar (straight up didnt work), I'm now on lexapro. My first week was sort of numb and indifferent, which was *perfect*, because I was having catastrophic fears about the end of the world. The "numbing" went away. Since then, it hasn't completely eliminated my anxiety/depression, but it's a hell of a lot easier to get back to baseline if something sets me off.
I've paired it with reading, yoga, breathing, candles, etc, and I highly recommend the same! Breathing exercises even when you're "fine".
The only noteworthy side effect is that my dreams are crazy, vivid, memorable, though hardly any nightmares.
You'll be fine! Don't mix it with recreational drugs and especially alcohol because it'll make your hangxiety worse.
