Can I take Zoloft for social anxiety?

Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of social anxiety disorder, a mental health condition marked by an irrational fear of being watched, judged, or of embarrassing or humiliating yourself.

Is Zoloft a good drug for anxiety?

As for anxiety, Zoloft is approved to treat social anxiety disorder, and is sometimes used off-label to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Lexapro is approved to treat GAD and can be used off-label to treat social anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

What are the most common side effects of Zoloft?

Nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, loss of appetite, increased sweating, diarrhea, upset stomach, or trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

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.

Will I gain weight on Zoloft?

Experts say that for up to 25% of people, most antidepressant medications — including the popular SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drugs like Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft — can cause a weight gain of 10 pounds or more.

What does it feel like to be on Zoloft?

When taken correctly, Zoloft can make people feel less anxious or fearful, and it can reduce the urge to perform repeated tasks. It can improve sleep quality, appetite, energy levels, restore interest in daily life, and reduce unwanted thoughts and panic attacks.

Does Zoloft help social anxiety disorder?

One of the options for treatment of social anxiety disorder is looking at medication treatment such as an SSRI . Zoloft is a good choice because of all the SSRIs, it is generally well tolerated and it is effective for anxiety disorders.

How much Zoloft should I take for anxiety?

Zoloft is a good choice generally for an anxiety disorder such as social phobia. In general, Zoloft is started at between 12.5 to 25 milligrams daily, and you continue this for about one to two weeks.

How is Zoloft used to treat social anxiety disorder?

Manufactured by Pfizer, Zoloft has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of social anxiety disorder since 2003 and is the only medication approved for long-term treatment. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), Zoloft slows reabsorption of the chemical serotonin in the brain .

What are the side effects of too much Zoloft?

The most common are drowsiness, vomiting, tachycardia , nausea, agitation, bradycardia, tremors and dizziness. These are all side effects of Zoloft and are increased by the increased level of Zoloft in the system. In extreme cases, an overdose can cause seizures, delirium, hallucinations, hypertension, fainting, coma and even loss of life.