Zoloft success stories (Heart-warming results) 

In this blog, we will talk about people who have actually seen results after using zoloft, as recommended medically. When we think of starting a new med, especially an antidepressant, we often think, ‘Does it actually work?’ This blog is all about that. 

Zoloft success stories

Zoloft, like every other medication, affects people differently. Over the years, this med has treated a lot of people. In fact, it has saved many lives. Let’s talk about a depression survivor, Kate, who has a zoloft success story to share with all of us. 

She says:

“I want to share my story with everyone today. I have battled with depression for many years thinking this is not the fight that I can win, but I did win. I am sharing this with you today to motivate you and tell you that don’t lose hope. I think people should come forward and tell their success stories.”

I totally agree with her. It is the best approach to write a success story and let people know how you successfully defeated depression. Mental illness is quite common among people, but they choose not to talk about it. 

The reason behind this is that depression is often frowned upon in most societies. A lot of people out there don’t even consider depression an illness. They simply tell you to think less and enjoy your life as much as you can, but it’s easier said than done. 

Being depressed is not a choice you make. No one could ever possibly want to be depressed. It is the worst feeling in the entire world. You feel like your world is falling apart and nothing makes you happy anymore, not even your loved ones. It leaves a void in your chest, a void you can not fill. 

You feel like nothing can ever fix it. Even if someone suggests you to seek medical help, you just simply turn it down because you think that the doctor would end up giving you tons of meds and none of them will ever work. 

Here the success stories come into the picture. When you read about actual people out there battling with depression just like you, you take their words seriously. 

When you read how certain medications have helped them recover from this immense mental torture, it inspires you and you finally begin to see a ray of light at the end of the very dark tunnel of depression. 

So, I truly admire Kate for coming forward for the sake of millions, who are depressed out there thinking this is just the end. 

She continues:

“I have been on Sertraline for 12 weeks. I kid you not, it was not an easy ride. Soon after I started sertraline, I started observing side effects. I felt tired throughout the day but it was difficult for me to fall asleep at night. My life was full of chaos.” 

She further tells us how this was not an easy thing for her to do:

“The next two weeks were probably the worst days of my life as my side effects got worse. I suffered from severe insomnia, loss of appetite, loss of sexual desire and i had muscle aches all over my body. I felt like crying all the time.”

She further states:

“I did not leave my house. I did not feel like meeting even my best friends who have always been there for me and couldn’t even talk to my parents. I just wanted to disappear. As I couldn’t really do that, I just isolated myself.”

As I stated earlier depression is an illness which isolates you, just like it isolated Kate. You don’t want to talk to people, you don’t want to socialise and you definitely don’t feel like being an extrovert, even if you have been an outgoing person, prior to your depression. 

Antidepressant therapy is no piece of cake. It’s a rocky road in itself. One day you feel all better. You feel like engaging in your favourite activities and even going out, but the next day you again feel like your world is falling apart and everything comes crashing down. 

But don’t lose hope! Antidepressants usually take 6 to 12 weeks to work properly, so you need to give them enough time to start making changes in your brain. 

Kate further says:

“I am now on my 4th month with sertraline and most of my side effects have disappeared. I just sometimes feel tired but that’s quite manageable. I have started going out again, started dating actually and I feel more socially engaged now. I just wanted to tell you all that you have to hang in there! It might take time to work but it does work. If I can do it, why can’t you?”

Depression is not an easy thing to get out of, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to recover. You have got to start from somewhere, right? Don’t let the thought of taking meds make you feel trapped. 

What else can help you with your depression?

Before ending her success story, Kate also stated some things that helped her along this journey and some things that turned out to be the trigger factors to simply make things worse.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a major cause of anxiety. Try to cut this out of your life completely or reduce it to the minimum amount possible. You can also drink decaffeinated drinks.

Activities to distract your mind

Things to do in the potentially awful first couple of weeks: read, play a game, do sudoku and crosswords, knit, anything to occupy your mind. I know it’s extremely difficult even to find interest in your favourite activities, but giving it a shot is often worth it. 

Exercise 

Exercise is the best way to release happy chemicals in your body. Jogging, dancing and yoga are considered most effective. Just put on your headphones and sway your depression away. 

Reading

Buy a self help book. Do some research online and see which one has good reviews. It gives lots of useful and effective tools to help you in your everyday life. Read blogs, articles and of course, success stories to help motivate you to walk out of this whole mess. 

Seeking help

People are often embarrassed when it comes to discussing their depression and anxiety. A chronically depressed patient often worries over small things, things which do not trouble a normal person. 

So, depressed people refrain from discussing such matters out of fear that people might laugh at them for worrying about something so basic. 

Limit the use of alcohol

Be careful with the use of alcohol because if you have depression, it’s the day after drinking that is the downfall, not the actual drinking itself. It drowns you even more in your sorrow and it might induce suicidal thoughts. 

More about zoloft

Zoloft is a product of Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company. It is an American-based pharmaceutical company. Zoloft users have rated it 6.9 out of 10. It is well tolerated by some people and it has proven to be a life-saving drug for many.

The active ingredient of Zoloft is Sertraline, which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It is used to treat psychological conditions like depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, Social anxiety disorder (SAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

Most common side effects of zoloft include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, loss of appetite, increased sweating, diarrhoea, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, weight gain and decreased libido. 

Nausea and vomiting may be more likely to occur with initial use of zoloft. It improves over time when the body starts to accept it. Within a few weeks, gastrointestinal side effects subside. 

Always remember, the proper use of medicines is the key to their maximum beneficial effect. Avoid deviating from the dose suggested by your healthcare provider, and never stop it abruptly. 

Such medications are withdrawn slowly, by the help of tapered doses (when the dose is reduced slowly till the point where your body no longer depends on it). 

Conclusion 

Depression is a nerve-racking illness. It makes you miserable. You feel like your world is falling apart and that there is no end to this. But there is! 

In this article we came across a beautiful success story, where a girl explained how her journey with depression and zoloft was difficult at first, but she managed to make it through.

If she could do it, so can you! So never, even for a second, think that there’s no cure for depression. Never shy away from discussing your problems. You need to let it out of your system or it will start eating you away

Make sure you stay from non-adherence. Every medicine works best when it is taken properly. You just need to be consistent and have faith. I’m sure you will make it through. 

FAQs: zoloft success stories 

How long does it take for Zoloft to start helping?

It usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for an antidepressant to start working. The time period varies from person to person. It can take upto 8 weeks by the medicine to start reducing the symptoms of depression. 

How quickly does Zoloft work for anxiety?

Zoloft doesn’t work immediately, so don’t stop taking Zoloft if your symptoms don’t improve right away. It takes two to six weeks to start reducing anxiety symptoms. 

Some people may feel a reduction in their anxiety symptoms within the first week of taking Zoloft, but this shouldn’t be expected for everyone because as stated earlier, every individual has a different physiological makeup and it interacts with medicines differently. 

What is the success rate of sertraline?

Zoloft users have rated it 6.9 out of 10. It is well tolerated by some people and it has proven to be a life-saving drug for many.

How will I know if Zoloft is working?

The simple answer: When your symptoms start to subside. Depression is commonly associated with feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness, irritability or frustration, even over small matters. 

You don’t feel like socialising. Even your favourite activities don’t sound so good when you’re going through an episode of depression. 

So how do you know your med works? 

You simply feel relieved from above mentioned symptoms. When you feel happy and satisfied, when you feel like engaging in your favourite activities and when you start feeling like being a part of your social gatherings again, you know your medicine is working. 

Can it take longer than 8 weeks for Zoloft to work?

Zoloft usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. But it could take 8 weeks or longer in some individuals, as the effect of the drug varies from person to person. 

References 

• R Turner. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 1994 – Quality of life: experience with sertraline https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7963448/
• User Reviews for Sertraline to treat Depression https://www.drugs.com/comments/sertraline/for-depression.html