Does Zoloft Help With Anxiety

Using Zoloft For Anxiety What You Should Know

Anxiety is normal in daily life. However, when it becomes intense, it leads to complications. Excessive fear and worries may lead to emotional, mental, and physical health issues. Anxiety leads to an imbalance of serotonin level in the brain, which affects sleep, mood, sexual drive, memory, and behavior. Sertraline is a popular drug composition known to tackle anxiety effectively. It helps in balancing serotonin chemicals in the brain.

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Zolofts Immediate Neurochemical Action

Research suggests that Zoloft starts working in terms of its action upon neurochemical targets almost immediately. In other words, within an hour or two of taking Zoloft, the medication is modifying neurotransmitter levels throughout the brain, as well as receptor sites. Zoloft functions primarily by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, but to a lesser extent , it interacts with the dopamine transporter and sigma-1 receptor.

Within a few hours of ingesting Zoloft, concentrations of extracellular serotonin will be noticeably increased compared to pre-treatment. Increased extracellular serotonin leads to greater serotonin signaling throughout the brain, which might explain rapid responses to the medication. It is known that increased serotonin signaling alone can enhance mood, reduce anxiety, and mitigate obsessive thinking.

What Are The User Reviews For Zoloft Sertraline

User Reviews for Sertraline to treat Anxiety and Stress Also known as: Zoloft Sertraline has an average rating of 7.2 out of 10 from a total of 611 ratings for the treatment of Anxiety and Stress. 61% of those users who reviewed Sertraline reported a positive effect, while 18% reported a negative effect.

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Use Of Zoloft For Anxiety Treatment

Zoloft is a prescription drug approved to alleviate different types of anxiety disorders. Anxiety is an unwanted disorder that is characterized by a nerve disorder, worry, overreaction, mood swings, unwanted thoughts, feelings of guilt and unpleasant fear. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the form of Zoloft that is given to maintain a high level of serotonin in the brain. It elevates the mood and controls the anxiety. It is used for various anxiety treatments as below:

• Pain disorder
• Mood swings
• Lethargy

Studies reveal that men and women suffer from various panic attacks due to anxiety. Zoloft is found to reduce the urge to perform repetitive tasks that interfere in the daily life. It balances the natural substances in the brain and keeps the patient calm. If the medicine is given for premenstrual problems, the doctor may direct you to take the medicine every day of the month or two weeks before the periods to controlanxiety disorders.

Causes And Risk Factors For Panic Disorders

Anxiety and panic attacks can both be caused by anxiety disorders, but panic attacks can have causes that are not related to mental health,including:

• Mitral valve prolapse
• Hyperthyroidism
• Stimulant use
• Medication withdrawal

There are a few factors that increase your risk of having panic disorders. They include:

• Being female. Women aretwice as likely to experience panic disorders than men.
• Genetics. Panic disorders can run in families.
• Age. Panic disorders usually begin between the teen years and age forty.
• A trigger. Astressful event such as job loss, trauma, or abuse or even happy events such as marriage or the birth of a childcan increase the chances of panic attacks.
• Mental health conditions. Panic attacks can be a symptom of several mental health conditions such as agoraphobia,depression, or anxiety disorders.
• Substance use disorder. Alcohol and drug use, as well assmoking, can create physical sensations like lightheadedness or fast heartbeat that can lead to feelings of anxiety.

Now that I know what my panic attacks feel like, I am able to talk myself through them. By recognizing what is happening, I can tell myself that these sudden hot flashes mean I am probably about to have a panic attack, and I can prepare myself. With the help of a regularmedication routine, tools to help myself calm down, and an understanding of what is happening to me, my panic attacks have become much more manageable and my overall anxiety has lowered.

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How Should Zoloft Be Taken

Take Zoloft exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Zoloft until it is the right dose for you.

Zoloft Tablets may be taken with or without food.

Zoloft Oral Solution may look cloudy or hazy after mixing, this is normal.

Zoloft Oral Solution must be diluted before use:

Do not mix Zoloft until you are ready to take it.

When diluting Zoloft Oral Solution, use only water, ginger ale, lemon/lime soda, lemonade, or orange juice.

The oral dropper contains latex. If you are sensitive or allergic to latex, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about the best way to measure your medicine.

If you miss a dose of Zoloft, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time.Do not take two doses of Zoloft at the same

time.

If you take too much Zoloft, call your healthcare provider or poison control center right away, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Reviews On Zoloft Side Effects And Drug Interactions

Zoloft users frequently report that the first week to four weeks on Zoloft produced many negative side effects, such as flulike symptoms, racing thoughts, increased anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and constipation, night sweats/terrors/nightmares, tremors, nausea, fatigue, muscle pain, apathy, and irritability.

However, most of these users say that the initial side effects did subside once their body adjusted to Zoloft.

A 27-year-old male Zoloft user reports in a review on Iodine.com, In the beginning you will feel terrible. Flu-like is the best way for me to describe it. Tightness in the jaw, no appetite, and stomach issues when you begin to eat. Diarrhea and constipation.

A 17-year-old man who took Zoloft for OCD agreed that the first weeks on Zoloft resulted in negative side effects, writing on Iodine.com, Potential for increased anxiety at first. Also caused severe insomnia for a few weeks.

A 27-year-old female patient, also writing a review on Iodine.com, concurred: Take vitamins the adjustment period causes muscle fatigue. Crazy vivid nightmares are normal too.

Most Zoloft reviewers offer light at the end of the tunnel if youre willing to stick through the initial side effects, though.

One Zoloft review on Everyday Health states, The side effects at first were horrible headaches, nausea, dizziness had to leave work one day because of them. After a week the side effects had eased and after a month they were gone.

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Other Psychological Treatment Approaches

Other types of psychological treatment focus more on trying to find the possible causes of the anxiety, such as traumatic childhood events. There hasnt been much good research on the effectiveness of these approaches in people with generalized anxiety disorder. The few studies that have compared them with cognitive behavioral therapy suggest that these psychodynamic therapies arent as helpful as cognitive behavioral therapy.

How Do You Take Sertraline

Its pretty simple. If you come and see me at my GP surgery, I explain that the starting dose is 50mg a day in adults. Thats one tablet a day. We then up-titrate the dose in 50mg increments over weeks or months depending on how you respond. The maximum is 200mg in a day. Courses can last from six months to a lifetime for some.

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Zoloft Reviews For Anxiety

Overall, Zoloft fares slightly better with online reviewers who use the medication for anxiety-related issues, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.

WebMD Zoloft reviewers who use Zoloft for panic disorder have given it an average of 3.87 out of 5 stars, and patients who use Zoloft for anxiety have given it an average rating of 7.7/10 on Drugs.com.

Many Zoloft reviewers report that Zoloft was helpful in curbing their panic attacks and overall sense of nervousness.

One WebMD reviewer, who gives Zoloft five stars on all counts, says, Zoloft has helped me with my panic attacks and my everyday uneasiness and anxiety.

One common problem reported by Zoloft reviewers is the medications tendency to increase anxiety before it begins to treat it, or to eventually stop working in curbing anxiety after initially working very well.

One Drugs.com Zoloft review describes this rollercoaster:

Im a 29 year old female. Ive been suffering from horrible social anxiety disorder and panic attacks for over 2 years. Ive been on Zoloft for 4 monthsI had little to no social anxiety anymore and almost felt like I had my life back. After 2 months I felt I plateaued. I started getting the anxiety/panicky feelings back. So I upped my dosage to 50 mg. For now it is still doing the trick but its nowhere near what it was in the beginning.

Reviews On Zoloft Dosage

Most online Zoloft reviewers report being on an initial dose of 50 mg, which is the standard Zoloft dose.

The initial therapeutic dosage of Zoloft is 25 to 50 mg. It can be upped to 200 mg over time depending on tolerance.

The most common issue reported by Zoloft reviewers regarding dosage is that their reaction to the drug plateaus over time, requiring their doctor to increase their dosage in order to be effective. Some reviewers even report having to switch medications eventually once they increased their Zoloft dosage as much as possible.

For example, one Drugs.com Zoloft reviewer, MaryKrazy1, writes:

Zoloft worked AWESOME for my extreme anxiety and major depression. It worked for many years but eventually , it stopped working as well and once my dosage couldnt go any higher, I had to start the whole process of finding the right medication and the right cocktail for me.

Other Zoloft reviewers warn against starting with a high dose of Zoloft, noting that it can increase negative side effects, such as weight gain and a loss of libido. Ricardo7171, a WebMD Zoloft reviewer, says that he switched to a lower dose of Zoloft for this very reason:

The one negative was the sexual side effects at the higher dose. Fortunately, at 25 mg, I have none of these issues.

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How Do They Compare On Side Effects

You may experience side effects while taking Zoloft and Prozac. But these are often mild and temporary and may last a few weeks. The medications have very similar side effects, but according to clinical trials, Prozac is more likely to cause headaches, while Zoloft is more likely to cause dry mouth, stomach problems, and sexual side effects.

Common side effects include:

• Sexual problems, such as decreased libido and ejaculation problems

• Dry mouth

• Diarrhea

If the side effects are bothering you, talk to your provider. They may be able to adjust the dose to minimize the effects or change your medication.

Some side effects of Zoloft and Prozac can be serious. These effects are rare, but if you think you are having them, notify your doctor as soon as possible.

These rare side effects include:

• Suicidal thoughts. This is more common in younger adults.

• Heart rhythm issues. If you have a heart condition, Zoloft or Prozac could worsen your condition.

• Worsening of symptoms. On rare occasions, these medications can make anxiety worse.

If you are pregnant, let your doctor know before you start or stop taking Zoloft or Prozac. Although studies show low risk to your unborn baby, you should use these drugs with caution, especially in the third trimester.

How Long Did It Take For Zoloft To Work For You

If youve used Zoloft, also known as sertraline, how long did it take for the medication to work? More specifically, how long did it take for you to notice an effect of Zoloft or that you were under the influence of a medication after starting treatment? After initiating treatment, how long did it take for you to derive therapeutic benefit from Zoloft? .

To help others better understand your experience with Zoloft and its onset of action, provide details in your comment such as: your starting dose whether you titrated the dosage upwards and whether you had a history of antidepressant use prior to taking Zoloft. Be sure to also note things like: the specific condition for which you were using Zoloft whether you have any preexisting medical conditions that might influence its effect and/or whether youre using any other substances along with Zoloft.

Consider mentioning the time of day at which you administered Zoloft as well as whether you took it with food versus on an empty stomach. Moreover, if you had to rate your self-awareness on a scale from 1 to 10 what would you rate yourself .

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Rated For Depression Report

I started on 25mg if Sertraline a year ago and have worked up to 150mg. I take it along with Aripiprizole. Im a 17 year old female with depression and anxiety. At first this drug makes me feel a little bit worse the first 2 weeks of a new dose and I get heart palpitations. However, after the first two weeks I feel way better and I cant cry!! My panicked attacks happen less often and are less severe. My depression has also eased off quite significantly. I would highly recommend.

What Are Sertralines Side Effects

Its going to vary between all of you. The common ones, diarrhoea, sleep disturbance, sexual dysfunction may often appear in the first few weeks before then subsiding. One I have seen a lot of recently is teeth grinding in sleep but once again, these all seem to settle. Now you may have noticed that I mentioned earlier that sertraline is used for premature ejaculation but now Im saying it can cause sexual dysfunction. Its true there is a conflict here. Overall, the drug helps improve your mood and mental wellbeing. This in turns feeds positively into your libido and sexual function and confidence. Ultimately the benefit often outweighs the risk.

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Any Positive Experiences Of Zoloft Controlling Anxiety & Depression

Psyched_Out_Kim

There’s many negative stories out there about Zoloft, so I’m wondering if anyone can share a positive experience from taking it.

I was on it many years ago, but don’t remember the start up effects, how long it took to work, etc. The time has come to use this medication again, but my anxiety is so bad that I’m afraid to take it. I do use Xanax, but I can no longer pretend that that’s enough to help me. There’s a lot of depression involved as well, so my back is against the wall.

Thanks for reading,

• 4 years ago

  I’ve only been on sertraline for a week on 50mg. I only had a few sides lasting a couple of days, headache and dizziness. Still experiencing a bit of anxiety but I feel it’s doing something. my mood has lifted. I’m increasing in another week, just hoping I don’t have any bad side effects.

  Give it a go.. let me know how it goes

• Posted 4 years ago

  Good for you! I have a friend who reacted the same way, very little side ffects, and she felt like she could come off after only three months. Her depression never cam back! You are lucky one

• Posted 4 years ago

  You should try another med. I didn’t get on with flouxtine.. but some people swear by it. Everyone reacts differently.

• Posted 4 years ago

  I’ve read that the first week can be okay, but side effects get worse the following weeks as the med builds up. That’s the part I’m afraid of, especially the increased anxiety.