For those who may not know, Zoloft (also generically known as Sertaline) is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) that is used to treat disorders such as depression (what it is most known for), OCD (obsession compulsive disorder), PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and social anxiety disorder.

I was prescribed Zoloft in the spring of 2015 for my anxiety and honestly, it was one of the best decisions I had ever made for myself. Now, I am weaning myself off of Zoloft and I am finding it to be another great decision of my life.

So here’s my journey, one dosage at a time.

I began with 25mg for one month. This month was very interesting because this dosage gave me this “runners high.” I was energetic and was almost obnoxiously happy. After my third week going into my forth, this side effect had worn down and I was back to myself, just not as tired as I usually was. The side effects for this (for me), dizziness; so much dizziness.

Moving up to the 50mg, after just two weeks of use, I felt like a calmer version of myself. I was not overly energetic but enough to where I was “normal.” As for the side effects, the dizziness was gone but I had lost my appetite.

When going back for a checkup, I spoke to my physician and she suggested I try and go up to the 100mg. I agreed because I still believed I was not where I needed to be. It took about three months for me to level out completely. This means, it took about three months for my mood to start getting back to a normal level and for me to not be in a zombie like state, and for my appetite to come back to me. I actually lost about 20 pound in this initial time period.

These side effects are different from person to person. I would find myself browsing the internet to see if I was experiencing what others had but found that none of us had the same side effects for the same period of time.

A year and a half later, I’m ready to kick this. It’s been four weeks and I am almost to the point of completing my weaning phase.

My turning point was when I looked at myself in the mirror. Without realizing it, my stomach had gotten larger and when trying on clothes to bring out for this fall, I didn’t fit in a lot of them. I weighed myself and I had not only gained back the 20 pounds I had lost, but also an additional 20 pounds. I started watching what I ate more closely and also began a workout regimen but after two months of this lifestyle altering there was no change, and I was discouraged. The more I thought about it and began reading online, I realized that this plateau was most likely caused by the 100mg of Zoloft I have had in my system for over a year.

So, while working to wean myself off of this drug, I’ve only had one side effect and that is the crazy spinning and dizziness spells. Going from 100mg to 50mg was not bad at all. Going from 50mg to 25mg took about two weeks for me to level out; but, if I miss a dose of the 25mg, you can forget me going anywhere or doing much because my world will be spinning.

So what did I learn from my experience and why am I saying that both starting Zoloft and ending it was the best decisions of my life?

The time I had spent while taking Zoloft helped me worry less about the insignificant things; the things I couldn’t control. “What if” scenarios would race through my mind and I would replay them over and over again to see what the different outcomes could be. Being around new people terrified me because I didn’t know them or what they were capable of (good or bad), and I constantly worried what they would think about me. During my time with Zoloft, I realized how silly I was being and how I could only control so much of a situation. With this drug, I was able to see things more clearly, hear more clearly, and think without having constant thoughts disrupt me.

I am working to use supplements like St. John’s Wort, B-12 complex, and Valerian root to help ease myself off of the side effects and also to promote a healthier and more natural lifestyle. I am beginning to feel like me again; more confident and do not have the “zombie like” feeling. I am still on my workout regimen and plan to keep at it to physically get back to me.

Zoloft may not be for all, but it definitely helped me. It helped me calm down long enough to take a hard look at life and what I wanted to do with my life.

I am now one year into my Master’s program for Industrial/Organizational Psychology, I have a steady, wonderful boyfriend, and I have a fantastic job that allows me to continue to do the things I love. Zoloft was the reset button that I needed in my life. It may not be the way some reset their life, and it was certainly not how I pictured doing it either; but it was the best decision I ever made.