Anyone that took zoloft for a year or two and then stopped?
Posted , 4 users are following.
I just started taking zoloft for mild depression and I would like to hope that I don't need to be on it for the rest of my days. I'd like to believe that being on zoloft will give me the opportunity to develop new habits to improve my mental and emotional health and then stop taking it. Is there anyone who did something like this? Were you able to improve yourself and then stop taking the drug? What was it like coming off it? Or are you so happy with it you'll never stop? I'm a 54 year old male. Apologies for the age/gender bias but I've read that these factors influence drug effects. Thanks.
0 likes, 6 replies
a-new-day m59611
Posted
i've been on and off antidepressants a long time (over 10 years)
currently i am on 100mg sertraline and am not going to stop this time, i have absolutely no problem taking them forever
everyone's experiences are different, but speaking for myself, what i found is, in the past i would take antidepressants and do well on them, but after around 1 year of taking them and feeling fine, i stop. the problem is, eventually, my depression and anxiety always finds its way back. i did have one time where i was fine for about 8 months after stopping antidepressants, but the depression and anxiety managed to find its way home again, i think it was during a crappy miserable depressing winter
i also found in the past, that if i was not on antidepressants and a stressful event happened (lost job or relationship/family problem etc), then i was much prone to becoming depressed/anxious again
so to summarise, i'm staying on antidepressants because it simply offers me 'protection' and the ability to cope/live life normally without constant worrying, fear, and so on
we don't know what's round the corner in life (or how long we around for), so my attitude is, while i'm here, i'm going to make sure i'm happy and enjoy life, and sertraline let's me do that. it's really that simply. i'm not about to give up a good thing. it's one little pill each morning to keep my mental health in check. i'd be mad to stop taking them.
jay98357 a-new-day
Posted
Well said a new day. I am on week 10 and yes I still have bad days but a bad day on sertaline is no where near as a bad day without.
I am only on 50mg but I do feel I could do with going up to 7mg. Like you if it means taking a pill a day to feel better so be it.
Today I haven't had a good day
I had a few panic attacks while driving but I pinched myself hard (and I mean hard) and got to my destination, luckily In one piece 😊 I can also feel my low mood is creeping back but I know I can't expect miracles as I have struggled with this for nearly 30 years. I actually said to my mother the other day, (which was a good day) that I felt the same as when I was 18... just before my panic disorder started
So yes.. If I continue on this path. . I shall be taking that little pill a day.
Good luck. X
jay98357
Posted
a-new-day jay98357
Posted
jay98357 a-new-day
Posted
pictishpunkgirl m59611
Posted
I took it for 2 years and stopped, mainly due to the side effects. I am happier off it than on it. I'm no longer grossly bloated and depersonalised.