How Long Does It Last?

Key Takeaways

• Stopping sertraline too quickly can lead to withdrawal symptoms like nausea, insomnia, and agitation.
• Withdrawal can start within a few days of your last dose and last several weeks.
• Work with your doctor to gradually taper your dose to reduce the impact of withdrawal symptoms.

Sertraline withdrawal can occur when someone abruptly stops taking their antidepressant medication. It can lead to flu-like symptoms, irritability, nausea, imbalance, strange skin sensations, headache, and insomnia. Such symptoms are common and affect more than half of people who take antidepressants, so talk to your doctor before changing or stopping your medication.

Verywell / Alison Czinkota

What to Know About Sertraline Withdrawal

Sertraline withdrawal symptoms may persist for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after your last dose. For most people, sertraline withdrawal begins within three to four days of their last dose. The duration of SSRI withdrawal can vary, but you can expect it to last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks; however, sometimes it can last much longer.

Sertraline (Zoloft) is a commonly prescribed antidepressant. It is part of a class of drugs known as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is used to treat:

It is also used to treat severe premenstrual symptoms caused by premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

More than half (56%) of people quitting antidepressants experience withdrawal symptoms. The experience is different for everyone. Some people experience mild symptoms, while others have symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Why Sertraline Withdrawal Happens

Sertraline works by preventing the reabsorption (reuptake) of serotonin, thereby increasing the serotonin available in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays an essential role in mood and emotions.

When you stop or reduce your dose of sertraline, these serotonin levels will drop, eventually reaching pretreatment levels. Withdrawal symptoms happen as your mind and body adapt to this change.

Sertraline has a relatively short half-life compared to other SSRIs—about one day. This means that within a few days, you will have very little sertraline in your bloodstream.

Short-acting antidepressants like sertraline can cause withdrawal symptoms, as your body is essentially shocked by the absence of the drug and is trying to adapt to the change in serotonin levels.

It’s important to know that discontinuing your antidepressants may lead to a relapse of your original symptoms and even to the emergence of suicidal thoughts.

What It Feels Like

The most common symptoms that develop during sertraline withdrawal include:

• Flu-like symptoms
• Insomnia
• Nausea
• Imbalance
• Sensory disturbances
• Anxiety or agitation

While these may be the most common symptoms, SSRI withdrawal affects many of the body’s systems. The full range of potential withdrawal symptoms includes:

• Digestive: Nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, or appetite loss
• Balance: Dizziness or lightheadedness, sometimes making it difficult to walk
• Sleep problems: Nightmares, unusual dreams, excessive/vivid dreams, or insomnia
• Overall: Flu-like symptoms, including headache, muscle pain, weakness, and tiredness.
• Mood: Anxiety, agitation, panic, suicidal ideation, depression, irritability, anger, mania, or mood swings
• Bizarre sensations: Brain zaps (like an electrical shock or shiver in your brain), pins and needles, ringing in the ears, strange tastes, or hypersensitivity to sound
• Heat intolerance: Excessive sweating, flushing, or an intolerance to high temperatures
• Motor control: Tremors, muscle tension, restless legs, unsteady gait, or difficulty controlling speech and chewing movements 

Withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person. Some people have no symptoms at all, whereas others have symptoms severe enough to interfere with their responsibilities at home, work, or school.

If you do have severe withdrawal symptoms, it does not mean that you are addicted to sertraline. Addiction is characterized by the pattern of the use of substances in the face of adverse consequences. Withdrawal can happen to anyone taking sertraline for a few months or longer.

Research shows that roughly one-half (46%) of people going through SSRI withdrawal describe their symptoms as severe.

To get a better idea of the range of symptoms and symptom severity, you may want to check out the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms Scale (DESS), which is sometimes used by clinicians to measure the severity of SSRI withdrawal symptoms.

Tapering Off Sertraline

One method that people use to quit SSRIs is a medication taper. This means gradually reducing your dose over the course of several weeks or months.

Your doctor may:

• Switch you to a different antidepressant: Some doctors prefer to switch their patients to a longer-acting SSRI before beginning a taper. Because sertraline has such a short half-life, the amount of drug in your system can drop off quickly. Switching to a longer-acting SSRI, like Prozac, may help you avoid these peaks and valleys.
• Taper your dose over a long period: In the past, doctors weren’t sure whether tapering SSRIs was an effective treatment for withdrawal. However, new research suggests that a slow taper over several months may be more effective than traditional tapering schedules.
• Taper until your dose is below therapeutic levels: The researchers recommend continuing the taper until your dose is nearly zero, well past therapeutic levels. This means that by the end of the taper, you may be breaking pills into tiny pieces or switching to a liquid dose.

How to Feel Better If You Experience Withdrawal

If you are still experiencing withdrawal symptoms, these remedies may help.

• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and help you better cope with your symptoms.
• OTC medications: You can treat aches and flu-like symptoms with over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-nausea medications.
• Natural remedies: Vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements may be helpful. However, you should always review all of these with your doctor before taking any natural supplements or home remedies.

Lifestyle Changes

There are also steps you can take that might decrease your withdrawal symptoms, or at least make them easier to manage. These include:

• Exercise. Getting at least 45 minutes of moderate activity three times a week can improve mood and reduce stress.
• Sleep. Make sure that you are getting adequate rest each night. Focus on going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
• Eat well. Eat nutritious meals on a regular schedule, and stay hydrated. Try to avoid foods that may increase your anxiety, such as caffeinated beverages.

Social Support

One of the most important factors in SSRI withdrawal management is the presence of a social support system. Having people around who can help and support you through a difficult time can reduce stress and anxiety, both of which can make withdrawal symptoms even worse.

When your friends and family understand that you are in withdrawal, they will be more forgiving of irritability and mood swings. By preventing interpersonal conflict at home, you will avoid some of the negative social effects of withdrawal.

Always Consult a Healthcare Provider Before Changing Your Dosage

Always talk to your healthcare provider before stopping/changing your Zoloft dosage or if you’re having severe withdrawal symptoms/thoughts of suicide. There are several ways to find a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist for in-person or virtual visits (telemedicine).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a searchable directory of qualified providers. You may also call 1-800-662-HELP (4357), and a knowledgeable operator will search for you.

Important Warnings and Safety Notes

Sertraline, like other SSRIs, comes with a warning from the FDA about the potential for an increase in suicidal ideation and behaviors in children and young adults, particularly when medication is initiated or dosages are changed.

Recognizing the signs of suicidal ideation in yourself or someone else can help save your life or the life of a loved one. Call for help right away if you or a loved one shows any of the following symptoms:

• Planning how you would commit suicide if you were going to do it
• Talking or thinking about suicide more than normal, for example, “I wish I were dead”
• Gathering the means to commit suicide, such as bullets or pills
• Feeling hopeless or trapped
• Having intense mood swings
• Engaging in risky or self-destructive activities, such as driving drunk
• Becoming preoccupied with death, dying, or violence
• Getting affairs in order or giving away belongings
• Saying goodbye to people as if it were the last time

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk to your obstetrician/gynecologist or psychiatrist about the risks and benefits of continuing and discontinuing sertraline. There is a small risk of giving birth too early if you take antidepressants during your second and third trimesters. On the other hand, if you do discontinue sertraline while you’re pregnant, you are more likely to relapse.

Managing Mental Health in the Long Term

You may require additional treatment after the withdrawal period has ended. If you are still experiencing mental illness such as depression or anxiety, you may require continued care.

About 50% of people who recover from depression experience another depressive episode in their lifetime.

Some people stay on antidepressants indefinitely to prevent such an outcome, whereas others choose different modalities of treatment, such as psychotherapy. Researchers have found that psychotherapy reduces the risk of relapse in people discontinuing antidepressants.

Where to Get More Support

• Call a hotline: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will connect you with staff or volunteers at a crisis center near you. The people on the other end of the line can help you calm down and figure out what to do next. It is available 24/7, 365 days per year.
• Try a chatline: If you are hesitant to call, you may prefer to chat with a counselor. The chat services are also open 24/7.
• Contact a local provider: If you have health insurance, you can also search the company’s list of local providers who accept your insurance. Most insurance companies have at least some mental health coverage, including state and federal plans.

Sertraline withdrawal symptoms are real, and discontinuing this medicine is a real challenge for lots of people. Don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or other members of your support system about the way it’s affecting your life. And remember: Withdrawal symptoms are only temporary.

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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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By Corinne O’Keefe Osborn

Corinne Osborn is an award-winning health and wellness journalist with a background in substance abuse, sexual health, and psychology.

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