Is it possible to wean off zoloft

While no specific schedule can be applied to all individuals, a person taking the upper maintenance level dosage of Zoloft mg might proceed through dosages of mg, mg, mg, 75mg, and 50mg as he tapers off.

And each dosage reduction might occur somewhere between several days to several weeks, depending upon how you respond. The best way to avoid severe discontinuation symptoms is to reduce your dose gradually under the supervision of your doctor. If your symptoms are too severe, it may be necessary for you to wean yourself off more slowly. The symptoms will pass in time, however, as your brain adapts to the new dosage. Other options you should follow when reducing or discontinuing your medication are:.

Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. Gabriel M, Sharma V. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Withdrawal symptoms after selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor discontinuation: a systematic review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Wilson E, Lader M. A review of the management of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. Predicting relapse after antidepressant withdrawal - a systematic review.

Psychol Med. Antidepressant medication augmented with cognitive-behavioral therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in older adults. Am J Psychiatry. Young SN. How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs. J Psychiatry Neurosci. Harvard Women's Health Watch. How to taper off your antidepressant. Harvard University. Updated December 1, Renoir T. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant treatment discontinuation syndrome: a review of the clinical evidence and the possible mechanisms involved.

Front Pharmacol. So it seemed like the perfect timing to see if it continued if I stopped taking them," she recalls. Promisingly, she found there was no need. I didn't know if it was the tablet withdrawal or the heat, but I kept myself hydrated and regularly checked in with myself on a mood calendar app," she tells me. When Lucy arrived home, she decided not to go back on Sertraline - and she's remained off of it for 5 years.

But for me, it helped at a very dark time. Nurse Caroline Harper agrees. The nurse adds that nobody should attach shame to their experience if they struggle coming off mental health medication. Since going back onto mg of Sertraline in November , I have been at my happiest, most confident and balanced self.

If you need help or support with mental health, reach out to your GP or contact Mind. Follow Mollie on Instagram. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. And Just Like That has a release date and trailer! Meghan on the money saving trick she still uses. Your first look at Hocus Pocus 2 is here! Best Christmas decorations for Jessica Lockett Getty Images. Related Story. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.

You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. The schedule will depend on which antidepressant you're taking, how long you've been on it, your current dose, and any symptoms you had during previous medication changes. It's also a good idea to keep a "mood calendar" on which you record your mood on a scale of one to 10 on a daily basis.

Consider psychotherapy. In a meta-analysis of controlled studies, investigators at Harvard Medical School and other universities found that people who undergo psychotherapy while discontinuing an antidepressant are less likely to have a relapse. Stay active. Bolster your internal resources with good nutrition, stress-reduction techniques, regular sleep — and especially physical activity.

Exercise has a powerful antidepressant effect. It's been shown that people are far less likely to relapse after recovering from depression if they exercise three times a week or more. Exercise makes serotonin more available for binding to receptor sites on nerve cells, so it can compensate for changes in serotonin levels as you taper off SRIs and other medications that target the serotonin system.

Seek support. Stay in touch with your clinician as you go through the process. Let her or him know about any physical or emotional symptoms that could be related to discontinuation.

If the symptoms are mild, you'll probably be reassured that they're just temporary, the result of the medication clearing your system. A short course of a non-antidepressant medication such as an antihistamine, anti-anxiety medication, or sleeping aid can sometimes ease these symptoms. If symptoms are severe, you might need to go back to a previous dose and reduce the levels more slowly.

If you're taking an SRI with a short half-life, switching to a longer-acting drug like fluoxetine may help. You may want to involve a relative or close friend in your planning.

If people around you realize that you're discontinuing antidepressants and may occasionally be irritable or tearful, they'll be less likely to take it personally. A close friend or family member may also be able to recognize signs of recurring depression that you might not perceive. Complete the taper. By the time you stop taking the medication, your dose will be tiny.

You may already have been cutting your pills in half or using a liquid formula to achieve progressively smaller doses. Some psychiatrists prescribe a single milligram tablet of fluoxetine the day after the last dose of a shorter-acting antidepressant in order to ease its final washout from the body, although this approach hasn't been tested in a clinical trial.

Check in with your clinician one month after you've stopped the medication altogether. At this follow-up appointment, she or he will check to make sure discontinuation symptoms have eased and there are no signs of returning depression. Ongoing monthly check-ins may be advised. To learn what you can do to get the sleep you need for optimal health, safety, and well-being, but the Harvard Special Health Report Improving Sleep: A guide to a good night's rest. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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