Is 25mg Of Zoloft Enough For Anxiety?

By - Munira Binte Hasan

According to a health report, 31% of adults experience anxiety at some point in their lives. To some people, anxiety might sound like a hoax. But the sufferers know how it feels to live through every single day.

Over time, many medications and methods have been developed to help anxiety disorder patients to relieve the tension. Zoloft drug serves a similar purpose. 61% of Zoloft consumers have reported a positive impact of this medicine.

Now, what dosage of the medication will be perfect for you? Is 25mg of Zoloft enough for anxiety? What are the side effects of this drug? All these questions are vital if your doctor has prescribed you Zoloft. Read on to the article to get an overall idea of this medicine.

Zoloft For Anxiety

In my medical profession, I have encountered and handled patients with social anxiety. To my surprise, a handful of them knows anything about this disorder. And so, I think it would be better if I explain anxiety and its connection to Zoloft first.

Social anxiety disorder or SAD is more common than you can think. Statistics say up to 13% of the general population experiences this health condition in their lifetime. According to the sufferers, anxiety stirs up an irrational feeling of worry and fear in people’s minds. The patients are often afraid of being judged, humiliated, watched, or embarrassed, which has no basis.

All of us experience these mixed feelings at some point in our life. What makes us different is that we do not have to go through the phase every day. People with social anxiety disorder struggle with this roller coaster of emotion more frequently than us.

Sertraline medications work the best to keep their nerves calm and relaxed. Zoloft is a popular and effective drug for treating anxiety, and it is a type of antidepressant or SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor).

Serotonin is the key hormone that regulates our mood, feelings, and well-being. It is also the reason why some people have anxiety. Taking Zoloft slows down the reabsorption of serotonin neurotransmission, which eventually treats the anxious feeling in the patients.

Besides resolving the anxiety issues, Zoloft has been prescribed for several other conditions. Such as,

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Is 25mg Of Zoloft Enough For Anxiety?

Zoloft is available in different dosage strengths, and 25 mg is the least powerful among the oral tablets. Doctors prescribe the dosage considering the severity of the disorder and other medical histories of the patients.

Generally, the ideal initial therapeutic Zoloft dosage for anxiety is 25 mg per day. Once the patients get used to the drug, doctors advise increasing the dosage to 50 mg after one week. In most cases, for mild and moderate anxiety attacks, Zoloft 25 mg is very effective, at least in the beginning.

However, Zoloft 25 mg won’t do much good to patients with severe and panic level anxiety. As a non-medic person, you should not mess with the Zoloft dosage. Overdose of this medicine will definitely make you sick.

How Long Does It Take For 25mg Zoloft To Work?

The Zoloft effect will kick in anywhere between days to 8 weeks. Honestly, there is no accurate answer to this question. The time frame varies depending on the user and his health condition.

According to neurophysiologic terms, Zoloft should start showing its effect within hours of its consumption. But in reality, the desired or clinically therapeutic positive changes are noticed in weeks.

Usually, within the first 1 to 2 weeks, some patients experience improved appetite, sleep cycle, and energy level and a reduction in anxiety symptoms. While for others, the medicine does not show any impact in the first 2 to 3 weeks.

I have handled individuals who have noticed Zoloft working within a few hours or days. In their cases, the medication successfully modifies the neurotransmission concentration within the brain cells in the early hours of administration. And so, the drug is a quick escape for them from anxiety. However, the number of such reports is not noticeable.

A vast majority of Zoloft consumers notice the drug effect within the 4 to 8 weeks of administration. Even for these patients, the modification of neurochemistry starts within hours, but not everyone can feel the influence of the medication.

In the period of 4 to 8 weeks, more substantial changes arise within the Central Nervous System and brain of these individuals. After completing the medication course, the patients suffer less frequent panic or anxiety attacks.

However, it may take more than 8 weeks to notice any therapeutic changes for a small percentage of patients. As no one can say for sure how long it takes for Zoloft to kick in, you should not give up on the drug. If it has been weeks of administration and you observe no desired effect, consult your doctor before switching to another med.

How Do I Know Zoloft Is Working?

Is 25mg of Zoloft enough for anxiety? It surely is and the drug promises you a sure escape from anxiety within 4 to 8 weeks. Now the question arises how would you know the drug is working?

The experts suggest that each person has his fingerprints of anxiety symptoms. Hence, the recovery process will be different for individuals.

Some patients notice a sooner improvement with Zoloft. But in the majority of cases, it takes weeks for the drug to kick in.

The consumer might experience the following changes in him,

Overall, a person suffering from social anxiety disorder feels better after the Zoloft administration. It is wiser to track down the emotions to observe the improvement.

Do not think Zoloft will take away the anxiety. No, but the drug will make you feel better and fill your mind with positive energy. You may still have anxiety attacks or depressing thoughts. Apart from prescribing Zoloft, the doctor might suggest a few extra tips to have more control over your emotions.

Why Is Zoloft Bad For You?

Zoloft is an FDA-approved drug and safe for almost all category people. But still, can this medication cause you any harm?

Like most other meds, Zoloft has some downfalls too. Patients often experience the following side effects after starting taking Zoloft for anxiety,

Apart from these common side effects, the patients sometimes undergo a more severe knock-on effect of Zoloft. For example,

Even though the risk of suffering from any of the above conditions is rare, you can not eliminate the chance. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you observe anything weird in your behavior, thought process, or health. Chances are the sertraline is not working on you.

The risks of taking Zoloft do not end here. Doctors believe Zoloft affects unborn babies. If the mom is on sertraline in the third trimester, the baby may develop rare diseases like persistent pulmonary hypertension, neonatal withdrawal symptoms, etc. So, before you make the query of ‘is 25mg of Zoloft enough for anxiety it’s better to be aware of the side effects.

Again, overdose or stop taking Zoloft causes some other issues. For example,

Considering all those drawbacks, some patients decide not to go with Zoloft. However, no matter how severe the side effects of Zoloft may sound, the effectiveness of this drug in treating anxiety weighs more.

Consult with your doctor if you have any doubts or feel drained after taking sertraline. He might adjust the dosage or switch you to another drug.

Can Zoloft Cause Weight Gain?

25% of people who take antidepressant medication, including Zoloft, experience a weight gain of up to 10 pounds. Experts believe that Zoloft and any other SSRI drugs have a relation to appetite and metabolism. Patients sometimes put on weight even without eating much. How is that even possible?

Well, researchers suggest patients often find tasks pleasurable after taking Zoloft. So when they are up for a meal, they might overeat even without realizing it. Even though the experts are not sure about the theory, this is a possibility.

Not every person on Zoloft or antidepressants fattens up. Putting on weight occurs in case of long-term use of these drugs. Doctors claim that anyone using Zoloft for more than 6 months might experience weight gain. This side effect is rare in short-term usage.

So, is 25mg of Zoloft enough for anxiety? Well, it depends on your physical condition; however, 25mg of Zoloft won’t make you overweight and that’s for sure.

FAQs

Does 50mg of Zoloft work for anxiety?

Even though the Zoloft dosage starts with 25 mg, the doctor increases it to 50 mg within a week. The doctors claim that 50 mg Zoloft is the most effective therapeutic dose of this drug.

Depending on the intensity of the anxiety disorder, doctors might suggest a Zoloft dosage of up to 200 mg. But not more than that. Never increase the sertraline dosage on your own. Remember, Zoloft overdose can cause permanent damage.

Is 12.5 mg Zoloft Effective For Anxiety?

Zoloft is available in three dosage strengths, 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg. Using any antidepressant for an extended period has some side effects. To avoid any knock-on effects, doctors often suggest 12.5 mg Zoloft to mild anxiety patients.

12.5 mg improves the mood, sleep cycle and boosts the energy level without causing any harm. Zoloft does not come in 12.5 mg, and so patients have to cut the 25 mg in haves and take one portion each day.

Remember, 12.5 mg Zoloft will not work on every anxiety patient, and the doctor might increase the dosage later.

Can You Lose Weight On Zoloft?

Weight gain is a common side effect of Zoloft, especially if the drug is taken for an extended period. However, some studies have revealed that patients might lose weight while on Zoloft. Cases like these are rare and highly uncommon. Researchers suggest that if the patients experience appetite suppression after taking Zoloft, he might shed extra pounds.

Can You Still Have Panic Attacks On Zoloft?

Zoloft has a potential impact on social anxiety disorder, panic attacks, OCD, and many more mental conditions. After administration, the patient notices a change in his behavior within 4 to 8 weeks.

However, in a few cases, patients still deal with panic attacks even after being on sertraline. Also, sometimes anxiety attacks or depression can be associated with the withdrawal of Zoloft.

Final Thoughts

So, is 25mg of Zoloft enough for anxiety? The answer is yes if you have mild social anxiety. The healthcare professional might prescribe you an increased dose depending on your panic intensity.

Never take Zoloft or any other antidepressant without your doctor’s approval because these drugs can cause severe damage to your mental and physical health.