Sertraline: How Does It Work And What Are The Side Effects?

Sertraline is one of the most well-known psychotropic drugs for the treatment of deep depression,  panic attacks, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. You may have also heard of this drug under the commercial names Zoloft and Oralin.

The drug does not cure the above-mentioned condition, but relieves and controls negative thoughts and feelings. Controversy arises every time researchers publish a study on these drugs. Are they really necessary to treat these conditions? If so, what are the most effective variants? Should we choose newer drugs from the second or third generation, or should we stick to the originals?

Mental health experts ask the same questions. The only thing that is clear is that each patient requires their own unique strategy to overcome their mental illness.

Some patients may overcome depression through psychological therapy. Others need to supplement the therapy with pharmacological treatments. The latter can vary greatly when it comes to the type and quantity required to get the desired effect.

A few years ago, The Lancet  conducted a  study to compare the effectiveness of various psychotropic drugs for depression. According to the journal’s research, Zoloft (sertraline) was the best. This selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) remains to this day one of the most useful and prescribed antidepressants.

Let’s take a look at how Zoloft works and its side effects.

The effects of sertraline occur 4-8 hours after taking the medicine.  After taking it, the patient usually experiences relaxation, improvement in mood and greater mental control. The drug also inhibits the reuptake of serotonin. Basically, sertraline reduces the presence and availability of serotonin in the body.

We are talking about a modification that changes the way our brain transmits chemicals, which directly affects our state of mind. The way the drug affects the patient depends on the level of activation and his psychological state.

As we have already pointed out, sertraline is generally something that is prescribed for depressive conditions. It helps us to control the emotions, thoughts and actions that come with depressive health problems. But sertraline will not cure these diseases on its own. To cure depression, the patient must supplement the medication with other measures, such as psychological therapy.

In addition to being useful for depression, sertraline has also been shown to be effective in the following situations:

• People with post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Patients with social anxiety and panic attacks.
• People with obsessive thoughts.

Sertraline is a psychopharmaceutical drug. As the name suggests, it is not a common medication such as paracetamol or antihistamines. Only a mental health expert can prescribe this medicine. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective, but far from harmless. They have side effects, and these side effects are due to several factors.

The first factor is the length of treatment. The second factor is the patient’s condition. We all know that not all organisms are the same, and some interact with the drug differently. There will be some who do not manage it and others who notice immediate improvement.

Others do not follow the guidelines that have been established and put themselves at risk. We must be very careful about following the clinical guidelines we receive.

Let’s take a look at the main side effects of sertraline:

• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Drowsiness or hypersomnia

In the most severe cases, it can cause tremors, palpitations, decreased libido and incontinence.

An interesting aspect of this drug is that its bioavailability  increases when we take it with a meal. It is worth remembering that the effectiveness of sertraline is significantly reduced if we are smokers or drink alcohol. This should be discussed with your doctor when evaluating the pharmacological resources that are best for your health.

However, sertraline is not recommended for children, adolescents or pregnant women, as well as patients with kidney or liver problems.

Finally  , we would like to point out again the importance of following your doctor’s guidelines when taking any medication. Psychopharmaceuticals, and especially what we are talking about today, continue to be one of the most common treatment strategies for treating depressive problems. These drugs can help us feel better so that the treatment is successful.