RV12321: Introduction

[Rv12321]

Hey, I'm 21 and I went on zoloft in July 2017 and it was working stupendously until around January of 2019, when my anxiety started to really creep back in for the first time in about a year.  After dealing with this anxiety phase, the anxiety went away, but I noticed a lot of my personality was gone too.  I couldn't put my finger on it but something was different.  I had no sex drive anymore, I lost interest in almost everything, the chemistry I used to have with my close friends was gone, etc.  Basically anhedonia.  After a long depressing few months trying to get by school despite this obstacle, I finally decided that I would taper off the zoloft in May 2019, and went from 75 mg down to 0 in a matter of 2 months.  I'm now 4 and a half months off and I'm doing pretty bad.  The depression has just gotten worse and worse.  I was not even depressed before getting on zoloft (I got on it for panic attacks, I was NOT depressed.)  But now I see what true depression is and it sucks.  Reading these posts about it taking years to stabilize makes me want to ******* die.  I'm in college and my grades have gone to ****.  I'm taking hard classes that require maximum effort, but its hard for me to learn much of anything atm.  I've been going back and forth on whether this is related at all to persisting zoloft withdrawal or not.  Mainly because I know soooo many people who are/were on antidepressants and have no issues so why would it just be me?  Any advice would be very appreciated.  I've been avoiding this site because it scares me so much thinking that it could take years to be me again.  But I honestly cannot think of anything else in my life that should be causing such an absurdly deep depression.  Its like there's literally just nothing I want to do at all.  

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Rv.

 

You went off Zoloft too fast and now you have withdrawal symptoms. Reinstatement of a very low dose may help you stabilize, then you can taper off by miniscule amounts later.

 

If I were you, I would reinstate perhaps 1mg sertraline. It comes in a liquid for tapering purposes. See Tips for tapering off Zoloft (sertraline)v

 

What is withdrawal syndrome?
 
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Please let us know how you're doing by posting in this topic.