Zoloft – An Anti-depressant
Zoloft, with generic name Sertraline is a popular anti depressant and anxiety reliever. It can be used to cure social phobia, depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, pre-menstrual syndrome, and more. Antidepressant medicines like Zoloft could be used in treating even severe conditions of depression, anxiety and other mental disorders. An important advantage of these medicines is that they help to avoid suicidal thoughts and attempts. Alongside these advantages they provide other benefits also.
Anti-depressants may Aggravate Depression
Many studies in this area have shown that a small group of people who are mostly younger than 25 take antidepressants regularly for minor disorders experience aggravated depression, mood swings, or suicidal attempts. This makes it important to talk about the risks and benefits of antidepressant medication with your doctor. And this discussion should happen even if the treatment is not for a mental problem. If you start with anti depressants and experience a worsening condition, you should let your doctor know of it. The symptoms you would face in this situation are sleeplessness, tiredness, nausea, irritability, anger and mood swings. The panic attacks for which you started on medication in the first place may also worsen. You need to be watchful if you notice any of these aggravated symptoms soon after you start taking an antidepressant, or if the dosage of a certain medication is changed. Bring this fact to your doctor’s notice.
How it Works
Zoloft is another medication in the group named as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor or SSRI. Zoloft helps improvement of your mood, sleep, hunger, as well as energy level and helps in the restoration of the interest you lost in life. You would also feel reduced fear, reduction in anxiety and less frequent panic attacks. Zoloft works by aiding the restoration of the balance of neurotransmitters (serotonin) in the human brain.
Dosage
You should look at the leaflet available with Zoloft carefully for dosage before you actually begin using it. If you see that your doctor has prescribed a stronger dose than suggested in the leaflet, please consult your doctor. Zoloft is available in the form of tablets and can be taken once every day. Zoloft may bring about different effects in different patients. It may make some more sleepy, and others more alert. Let your physician know of this, and the doctor should suggest you take the medication in the morning or at bed time. The tablet is usually taken after food. Similarly, depending on the reason why you resort to medication, the dosage and when you take it would differ.
To keep the side effects at a minimum, your doctor would put you onto a low dose first, and gradually increase it. So, the first dose you take would not be more than 200 mg. But take care to follow the doctor’s prescription carefully. Do not take an overdose or a dose lesser than prescribed. Also, try and take the medication at the same time every day, and take care not to stop the medication abruptly. This is because some of the disorders get worse when the medication is stopped suddenly. The medicine takes at least a month to show effects. Keep track of how you feel, and consult your physician regularly.
