What to do if Zoloft makes you antisocial? (3 important points)

The following points are important to consider if Zoloft makes you antisocial: 

• Give Zoloft some time to work
• Consider psychotherapy 
• Talk to your healthcare provider

Give Zoloft some time to work

Zoloft may make people antisocial or affect their social behaviour during the early course of treatment, but these symptoms do start to get better with time as your body adjusts to the medication. 

Zoloft (sertraline) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of social anxiety disorder or social phobia (1). This indicates that Zoloft can make it easier for you to be social or take part in social activities by managing that overwhelming feeling that people may have, including:

• Fear of negative judgement and criticism.
• Anxiety about embarrassment.
• Strong fear of social rejection
• Discomfort or fear associated with making eye contact.
• Concerns about initiating or maintaining conversations.
• Worrying about physical symptoms of anxiety being noticed, such as sweating, nervousness, etc.

These symptoms do start to get better with time, so make sure you give your medication some time to work and talk to your provider about healthy ways to mitigate the side effects. 

Antidepressants like Zoloft affect serotonin levels in the brain, which is an excitatory neurotransmitter responsible for many psychological functions (2). So, it’s okay if you feel antisocial for a while. However, if you find your symptoms getting worse, you should report it to your doctor promptly.

Consider psychotherapy 

Psychotherapy is also a good option to manage the antisocial early effects of Zoloft, especially if you’re taking this antidepressant to manage social anxiety. Again, antidepressants like Zoloft take time to work. These meds can make you feel better right away or cure your social anxiety overnight. 

It takes weeks for people to see noticeable benefits. This is where psychotherapy is effective, as it’s a non-pharmacological behaviour therapy to help you face your social fears and talk about them. 

Your therapist will listen to your reasons for avoiding social gatherings, understand what upsets you, and provide you with positive management strategies to face these issues. Such behavioural one-on-one therapies can also enhance the efficacy of antidepressants by complementing their effects.

Talk to your healthcare provider

Talk to your doctor if your antisocial behaviour becomes severe or starts affecting the quality of your life. Although sertraline should not make one antisocial, people are different and can respond differently to this antidepressant. 

If you’re a new user, giving your body some time to adjust to the medication and dose adjustment can help you deal with your antisocial behaviour. 

However, if you have been taking Zoloft for weeks now but do not observe any positive changes in your behaviour, it is important to talk to your doctor. If Zoloft is not the right choice of medication for you, your doctor will consider alternative treatment strategies.

What is the link between Zoloft and social behaviour?

There is a positive link between Zoloft and social behaviour, as this antidepressant reduces social fear. Several research studies have indicated that Zoloft (sertraline) is a safe, effective, and reliable option for the management of social anxiety (3,4). 

The typical dosage recommendations include: (1,2)

What to do if Zoloft fails to manage social anxiety?

If Zoloft does not manage your social anxiety, please reach out to your doctor. Paroxetine (another SSRI) and some SNRIs such as venlafaxine can also be prescribed for the management of social anxiety disorder. 

So, if Zoloft does not work well for your symptoms, an alternative treatment strategy can help. Additionally, psychotherapy should also be included to improve your social behaviour.

Effects of antidepressants on social behaviour

In my experience as a pharmacist, Zoloft does not make people antisocial for long. It might affect your behaviour when you’re new to it, but it does get better with time. 

As we know, the conditions that Zoloft is used to treat – such as depression, social anxiety, panic disorder, etc. – themselves can make a person antisocial. These conditions can affect your overall behaviour and your responses to different social triggers. 

So, the first approach to managing your antisocial behaviour is to consider psychotherapy and give your antidepressant some time to work. 

If your symptoms do not go away or become worse over time, your doctor should consider alternative treatment options. Just make sure you do not make changes to your prescription on your own.

References 

1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA). HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. ZOLOFT (sertraline hydrochloride) tablets, for oral use. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/019839s74s86s87_20990s35s44s45lbl.pdf 

2. Singh HK, Saadabadi A. Sertraline. 2023 Feb 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31613469. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547689

3. Katzelnick DJ, Kobak KA, Greist JH, Jefferson JW, Mantle JM, Serlin RC. Sertraline for social phobia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Am J Psychiatry. 1995 Sep;152(9):1368-71. doi: 10.1176/ajp.152.9.1368. PMID: 7653696. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7653696/ 

4. Liebowitz MR, DeMartinis NA, Weihs K, Londborg PD, Smith WT, Chung H, Fayyad R, Clary CM. Efficacy of sertraline in severe generalized social anxiety disorder: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Jul;64(7):785-92. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v64n0708. PMID: 12934979. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12934979/