Recovery: Zoloft, anhedonia

[Recovery]

hello im

 

so im not really shure if what i have is what i would call withdrawal but heres my story. i was having some anxiety so my doctor prescribed me 50mg zoloft. at first i noticed problems such as sexual disfunction and insomnia but chose to ignore it (wich i hate myself for doing) and continued taking it. after sometime the problemms stoped and around the sixth month of taking zoloft i decided to stop because it wasnt doing much for me. now i didnt exactly taper slowly. i only did half a tablet a day for one week then stoped. i just figured i hadnt taken it for that long. for the next few months i was fine mostly but around january 2020 i started to feel like something had changed like my brain had changed in a bad way. at the time i thought this was just depression arizing but as time went on i started noticing the symptoms getting worse. i had a hard time going to sleep and would wake up early and i never felt tired. then i started losing interust in simple thing like reading and watching videos wich were all i ever did. then i started having severe sexual problems like zero libido, no erections, no sensitivity and dificulty having an orgasm. everything became boring. i just sat around doing nothing. i felt like i was going crazy i then came to realize that this was caused by the zoloft. i talked to different doctors and they said it couldnt have been the zoloft or that it could maybe have been the zoloft. i spent hours doing research online making myself go crazy. i really dont know how i have made it this far. latley i have had anger tantrums and have been spending the day crying and cursing myself for thinking the drugs couldnt have hurt me. in the last few months i have bought dozens of suplements in the hopes of them doing something. i go from being hopefull to feeling like it will never get better. i have to force myself to do anything just to pass the time. my life feels like its on hold. if anyone has any information that could be of any use i could definetly use it. i want to know that there is hope. 

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by ChessieCat
removed name

[ChessieCat]

Hi and welcome to SA,

Please create your drug signature showing ALL drugs/supplements, current AND previous.  Follow these instructions:

 

Instructions:  Withdrawal History Signature
Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

It can take as little as 1 month for the brain to fully adapt to a psychiatric drug.  Your "taper" was basically a cold turkey.  I'm assuming that you stopped the drug about 1 year ago.  Did you ever restart the Zoloft after that?  If yes, please include all the information in the drug signature.
 

Yes, recovery does happen but unfortunately is can be frustratingly slow and it is not a linear process:

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

Brain Remodelling

What is Happening in Your Brain

 

Check out the sub topic in the topic:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

Just so you have the information I will give you the topic about reinstatement (Post #1).  However, please note that reinstatement has more chance of being successful within the first couple of months after stopping the drug.  Some members have reinstatement a very tiny amount  (and I mean very tiny - a much smaller dose than you would probably think would help) many months after stopping the drug and it has helped them, which is why I am telling you about it so you know what your options are.  If you do want to try reinstating please let us know and we can suggest a dose.  As I said it would be a tiny amount so it would be better to ask for our suggestion before taking a dose.  Taking too much might make things worse.

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal

 

The only supplements which SA recommends are Magnesium and Omega-3 Fish Oil.  Try a small amount, one at a time, to see how you react.

 

I suggest that you have a look at this area of SA.  Click on the link and then search for cold turkey and select this forum top right:

 

Success stories: Recovery from withdrawal

 

There are many existing topics on SA.  The best way to search for a topic is to use an internet search engine and add site:survivingantidepressants.org to the search term.

 

This is your own Introduction topic which is the best place to ask questions about your own situation and journal your progress.  This way your history is in one place and you will not need to repeat yourself.  Also, the mods regularly check for new posts in the Introduction forum.  Because of how busy SA is and the large number of members if you post elsewhere the mods might not see the post.

 

Please continue to let us know how you are doing.  One of SA's missions is to educate the medical community about psychiatric drug withdrawal/adverse reactions and members' introduction topics are case studies which can help with this.  There is also a new "hot off the press" podcast interview with SA's founder - the link is in my signature).

 

From Mission of Surviving Antidepressants:

 

On 5/15/2011 at 5:22 AM, Altostrata said:

 

With our documentation of antidepressant withdrawal syndrome, we hope to educate the medical establishment about this problem. Case studies are essential; they are evidence understood by doctors, the psychiatric industry, and government regulatory agencies. The have already informed numerous articles in major publications and scientific papers.

 

 

[Recovery]

hello

so around march 2019 my doctor gave me zoloft 50mg for anxiety without telling me of side effects.i took it for about six months and then went of it quickly. i didnt notice anything different for about a month but then the symptoms of anhedonia apeared. at first i thought it was seasonal depression but it got worse and i realized it was the drugs. over the year it has gone worse. my symptoms are inability to feel tired, inability to feel pleasure or enjoyment, all activitys have become boring and uninterustig, inability to feel my d*ck or orgasm or be aroused. it has been like this for almost a year and although i have tried to be hopefull for recovery latley ive realized that there is no hope. everytime i look for people online who have recovered i find no one. instead i just find people who say they have had it for years and that its permanent. if this trully is permanent then im going to kill myself because i cant live like this my whole life. ive lost my will to live. theres nothing that gives me hope. i feel lie im already dead.

[Sunnyday]

Welcome,

 

I am sorry to hear about your situation. This situation is awful, but we do heal. It might just take longer than we want it to, which can be very frustrating. How long it takes varies a lot between each individual, so assuming we won't heal just because some people haven't yet, is usually doing ourselves a disservice. 
Would you mind writing a quick signature for us? We ask that all members do this. Here's how to:

How to write a signature

 

There are success stories, and focusing on those is the best way to get through this I think. I know it's very hard to stay hopeful, but I believe that is something we can practice and get better at. There are many topics here that can be helpful in coping with symptoms, both physical and emotional. 

 

Non-drug techniques to cope

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements since a lot of things can sometimes make this situation worse, but omega-3 and magnesium are two that we do recommend. Some people find them helpful. Just make sure if you try them to start with one at a time and at a low dose.

 

Magnesium

 

Omega-3

 

 

Have you had any improvements since you stopped taking the drug? It is very common that there will be a lot of ups and downs, mostly downs at first. My first year barely had any windows if I remember correctly. I am recovered today, and so are many others. The issue I think is also that as people start feeling better, they leave the forums. So we don't see all of the ones that improved, unfortunately.

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

 

Take care and please let us know how you're doing. I do believe you will get through this.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by manymoretodays
removed old name with @

[manymoretodays]

Hi Recovery, and welcome, @Recovery

 

I've got your Introductions merged now, just one to each member.

 

And yes, do keep going.

 

On 1/2/2021 at 4:13 AM, Recovery said:

hello

so around march 2019 my doctor gave me zoloft 50mg for anxiety without telling me of side effects.i took it for about six months and then went of it quickly. i didnt notice anything different for about a month but then the symptoms of anhedonia apeared. at first i thought it was seasonal depression but it got worse and i realized it was the drugs. over the year it has gone worse. my symptoms are inability to feel tired, inability to feel pleasure or enjoyment, all activitys have become boring and uninterustig, inability to feel my d*ck or orgasm or be aroused. it has been like this for almost a year and although i have tried to be hopefull for recovery latley ive realized that there is no hope. everytime i look for people online who have recovered i find no one. instead i just find people who say they have had it for years and that its permanent. if this trully is permanent then im going to kill myself because i cant live like this my whole life. ive lost my will to live. theres nothing that gives me hope. i feel lie im already dead.

Here's our topic on:  Apathy, anhedonia, emotional numbness, emotional anesthesia

I'm seeing some members ideas on coping, what helps them.  So do take a look when you can.

And also a topic on: PSSD Post SSRI sexual dysfunction

 

No reason to believe any of this is permanent.  Look to the Success Stories.  Success stories: Recovery from Withdrawal

 

And oh my, a whole year is tough but I honestly think that time is on your side.

 

Do you have any symptoms that have improved, in that time?  Ones that have come and gone?

 

And then you'll see the topic on Waves and Windows above now.  Unfortunately, recovery often comes in Waves and Windows.  I am hoping for a Window for you soon.

 

And welcome aboard.

 

L, P, H, and G,

mmt

[DaBro]

Hi @Recovery

 

My Zoloft history is similar to yours but I am 1 year ahead. See my signature for details. My worst time was 12-14 months after stopping Zoloft. Since then I have seen gradual improvements. 

 

My message to you is to hang in there. You will improve but it may take some time. My onset of symptoms was also delayed. PSSD did go away for me as did anhedonia. Other symptoms have come and gone too. I have days I feel normal but am not yet recovered. 

 

My advice to you is around acceptance of your situation. None of us chose this path and there’s little we can do now we are on it other than go with it. There is hope but you have to accept it will take time and be kind to yourself. 

[MattNNN]

I feel Zoloft withdrawal symptoms too. Luckily in my case the drop is only from 37.5mg to 34.4mg, but even still, I've been at the lower dose for 14 days and I'm wondering if I'll ever get used to the lower dose.