Disclaimer: This post is written to be informational and MUST NOT be taken as medical advice. You should not start, stop, or change the doses of any medication that you take without consulting your doctor first.
If you’ve ever been prescribed Sertraline (or know someone who has), you’ll know it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
Some people swear by it, others can’t wait to get off it, and for many of us, it’s somewhere in between. I’ve been on and off Sertraline more than once, and every time has come with its own set of surprises, side effects, and questions.
In this post, I’m breaking down what Sertraline actually is, how it works (and doesn’t), and the very real pros and cons of taking it. And because this wouldn’t be one of my posts without a bit of a deeper dive, I’m also talking about something that really shocked me: how Sertraline has been used in legal defences for serious offences, including violence against women.
What is Sertraline?
Sertraline is also commonly referred to as Zoloft. Zoloft is a brand name for the drug Sertraline. In the UK, we tend to use call Sertraline by its drug name, whereas in the USA, Zoloft is favoured as the name.
Being from the UK, I’ll be using the name “Sertraline” throughout this post.
It belongs to a group of medications called SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). SSRIs work by increasing the levels of serotonin in your brain. Among other things, serotonin helps to regulate your mood and so by taking SSRIs, this increased intake of serotonin helps to improve your mood.
In 2017, one study found that approximately 17% of people taking SSRIs were on Sertraline. This makes it the most commonly prescribed medication for depression.
Why Does Sertraline Get Prescribed?
Sertraline is an antidepressant that is used for a range of mental health conditions, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- OCD
- Panic Disorder
- PTSD
It is licensed to be given to children as young as 6 years old for OCD, but is only licensed for adults for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Taking Sertraline?
Like any medication, sertraline comes with its share of benefits and drawbacks. While taking SSRIs can be life-changing for many people, especially when managing symptoms of PTSD, at the end of the day, it is a drug and therefore it’s not without its side effects.
These side effects can occur when starting the medication, stopping it, and whilst you are on it.
Here’s a quick rundown of the main pros and cons of taking Sertraline:
Pros of Taking Sertraline
- Many people notice a significant lift in their mood and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. It’s important to note, though, that this improved mood does not happen instantaneously, and it can often take a couple of weeks of taking Sertraline to see this effect.
- It can help decrease the frequency and intensity of anxious thoughts and panic attacks.
- Some users find that they’re better able to cope with stress and emotional triggers.
- Sertraline is not habit-forming or considered addictive, which is reassuring for long-term use.
- As one of the most widely prescribed SSRIs, there’s quite a lot of research backing its safety and effectiveness.
- For some, sleep improves once their anxiety or depressive symptoms are better managed. Therefore, Sertraline doesn’t directly affect sleep, but by having reduced anxiety, your sleep could improve.
Cons of Taking Sertraline
- There are side effects with starting any medication. For Sertraline, these side effects can include nausea, headaches, dizziness, or increased anxiety before things settle.
- Sertraline has a short half-life, meaning that if you miss a dose, you’ll notice this pretty quickly.
- Reduced libido, difficulty reaching orgasm, or erectile dysfunction are not uncommon.
- Some users report feeling emotionally “flat” or numb, especially after long-term use.
- Both weight gain and weight loss have been reported, depending on the person.
- A strange, often unpleasant “electric shock” sensation in the brain can occur when stopping the medication abruptly or tapering too quickly.
- While it can help some people sleep, others may experience vivid dreams or insomnia.
- As with most antidepressants, some people may not feel any benefit or may need to try a different medication.
Can Sertraline Cure My PTSD?
In a word, no. There is no magical pill that will ‘cure’ PTSD.
Sertraline works by helping you to manage unwanted symptoms that occur as a result of PTSD. But Sertraline is just a pill. It cannot take thoughts out of your mind, or remove experiences from your past.
Interesting, a clinical trial carried out in Brazil in 2022 split groups of women who has experienced sexual assault into two.
One group were given Sertraline as part of their trauma therapy, and the other group were given psychotherapy.
The researchers found that both groups, those who took Sertraline and those who had psychotherapy alone, showed similar reductions in PTSD symptoms.
I’m not advocating that no one should take Sertraline as part of their trauma recovery. Trauma is personal to everyone and you need to find the coping strategies and therapy that works for you.
Also, this study had a lot of limitations, including a limited sample size, so you might want to conduct your own research before coming to any conclusions that Sertraline has the same efficacy as talking therapy.
Another study found that using Sertraline for 12 weeks dramatically reduced symptoms of PTSD in those who had been raped. However, again, this trial had its limitations; namely, that the trial only included 5 entire participants. Hardly enough to draw concrete conclusions, and yet this study appeared twice on the first page of my Google search results when researching for this article.
So to answer the questions, no, Sertraline will not “cure” symptoms of PTSD, but it might help lessen the symptoms.
Sertraline Withdrawal: Side Effects I Experienced Coming Off It
Coming off Sertraline isn’t always smooth sailing. Yes, there are things that you can do to make coming off of Sertraline easier, but ultimately, you’ve been putting a drug into your body and regardless of it not being addictive, you’ve got to get your body used to not being given additional serotonin on a daily basis.
And at this point, I want to remind you of what I said at the beginning of this post: this is not medical advice. I only advocate starting, stopping, or amending doses of medication under the guidance of your doctor or prescribing healthcare professional. The best way to avoid withdrawal effects is by tapering your medication (that is, reducing your dose over time). However, as I’ve said, it’s important to do this with the assistance of your doctor.
Personally, I’ve come off Sertraline three times now (I’m quite determined to stay off it this time!!) and each time has come with its own set of weird and wonderful (read: annoying and sometimes emotional) side effects.
Here are some of the most common things I’ve personally noticed, along with a few others that people often report:
1. Being Less Sleepy
One of the first things I noticed was that I had more energy during the day and didn’t feel as groggy. This is great in theory, but it can feel a bit jarring at first.
2. Being Able to Feel More Emotions
Again, in theory, this is great. But coming off of Sertraline was like someone had suddenly turned off the mute button on my emotions. All of them. The good, the bad, and the overwhelming.
And with me feeling more emotions, I found that initially I was crying a lot more.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make me wonder if my body wasn’t processing negative emotions properly, if I wasn’t able to express pain in the same way as when I’m not on Sertraline.
3. Brain Zaps
Yep, the infamous brain zaps.
They’re hard to explain if you’ve never had them, but I’d liken a brain zap to an unexpected electrical jolt in your brain or a sudden whoosh.
They’re weird, unsettling, and a common withdrawal symptom.
4. Other Notable Symptoms That I Personally Haven’t Experienced
Below are side effects of coming off of Sertraline that I haven’t personally experienced, but are side effects that other people have reported:
- Dizziness and lightheadedness, especially when standing up too quickly or moving your head suddenly
- Mood swings
- Flu-like symptoms
- Digestive issues
- Sleep disturbances
Everyone’s experience is different, but the key takeaway here is that coming off sertraline is a process and will be affected by different factors, including how long you’ve been on the medication and the dose your body has been used to.
A Disturbing Defence of Sertraline in VAWG
Whilst researching this post, I came across a news article from 2012 whereby a former police officer who was accused of the kidnap and rape of a 25-year-old in 2010 was allowed to use the fact that he was taking Sertraline (Zoloft) as a defence for his actions.
It’s another case of the world gone mad. It’s also madness when organisations such as the NHS tell us that Sertraline won’t change your personality.
The rationale for this ridiculous course of action is that a side-effect of Sertraline is aggression, violence, or acting on dangerous impulses.
Somehow, this side effect was used to argue that this individual was not in control of his actions at the time of abducting the woman at gunpoint before raping her.
It’s hard to know where to even begin with that one.
In 2004, another man tried to use his Sertaline use as the reason for attempted murder. In 2005, a teenage boy tried to use his Sertraline use as the excuse for shooting his grandparents. In the 2004 case, the man was successful in arguing his actions as the result of taking Sertraline. In the 2005 case, the defence rejected this line of defence.
Oh, and if you were wondering, from what I could find, the police officer who blamed abduction and rape on the effects of his anti-depressant was not upheld and it was determined that Sertraline could not be blamed for his actions.
The police officer, a man named Anthony Nicholas Orban, was found dead in his cell, having died by suicide before he could be sentenced.
This might be an odd story to include within this post, but being a blog that talks largely about VAWG, I think it’s important to raise how drugs such as Sertraline are not only used to help women cope with symptoms of PTSD from sexual violence and abuse, but also as a defence for the perpetrator’s own actions.
Final Thoughts
Sertraline isn’t a miracle drug, but in my opinion, it’s not evil, either.
Like most things in mental health, it’s complicated, and there’s no right or wrong answer to taking medications to help you with symptoms of PTSD, or any other mental illness. The point of this post isn’t to make you think something is right or wrong, but to inform you about the use of Sertraline and link it back to my own experiences and how it relates to victims of VAWG.
For some people, medications such as Sertraline are genuinely life-changing.
For others, it’s not the right fit.
But what matters most is that we talk about it openly and honestly, without shame, and without stigma.
What worries me is when medication is used to excuse or minimise serious harm, especially when that harm is directed at women. Mental illness doesn’t cause violence. Misogyny does. And no tablet, Sertraline or otherwise, should ever be used to blur that line or defend someone’s disgusting actions.
If you’re in two minds as to whether or not you want to continue taking medication for symptoms of PTSD, I’d highly recommend a book called “Sexy But Psycho” by Dr. Jessica Taylor. It’s an eye-opening exploration into the use of medications for women who have experienced abuse. Equally, in It’s All Your Fault, I explore my own medication use to cope with PTSD in more depth.
If you’ve read this post and you’re struggling with your mental health, organisations like Mind or Rape Crisis offer support, information, and a non-judgmental space to talk. You can see a list of Support Services by clicking here.
