Non stop intruisive thoughts day 3 of Sertraline 50mg

Treatment and medication
1

I’ve been hmming and haing about starting medication to treat anxiety and possible mild depression. Normally I get anxious about pretty much everything and I overthink a lot. I went to my GP in October and got prescribed Sertraline but decided to wait it out and see if things got better. highs and lows, but the lows were getting less and less.

Since the Covid lockdown, around 3 or 4 weeks ago I started ruminating over mistakes I made in the past. it started with one memory which gave me intense anxiety, then another and I ended up spiraling, paralyzed by anxiety. Each time I reached out and tried to face the shame and talk to the people involved, felt better temporarily then another memory popped up. A few days ago I decided to start taking the Sertaline (I’ve also just started therapy) and now I’m getting really disturbing thoughts and it’s really distressing. I can’t stop obsessing over them.

I’ve never experienced anything like this before :frowning: it’s scary and horrible and I feel so alone.

Has anyone experienced this when starting the medication?

2

yup i did, because your anxiety is ramped up your mind will do all sorts of crazy things for a while. it eased off maybe 3-4 weeks in. its tough trust me ive been there

3

Thanks for replying. I honestly feel like I'm losing my mind. I can't stop thinking and crying. It's good knowing others have experienced this.

4

Hi , I really am so sorry to hear that things are so difficult for you at the moment. There will at first with any medication be side effects until the medication settles - this can take time and is different with each person . Hang on in there - things will eventually settle down,

I work as an CBT therapist and offer on - line support. You can read more about me at www.nourished-renewed.me

I do hope that things will settle soon and please do contact me if you need any further support.

Very best wishes,

Kathryn

5

hi there,

ive been there also, got so much worse on sertraline! it eventually calms down mine isnt fully 100% everyday but moments in the day are better. i feel you it is horrendous to have these obsessive thoughts! just remember how you were before and these thoughts didnt exist thats what i keep telling myself! hang in there its tough!

6

Hi Sha, yes, this is completely normal. It gets worst before it gets better. Hang in there. It's good that you're taking action asap to deal with this before it gets out of control. Also, you may get other physical side effects. Take care.

7

Hi Kathryn,

Thank you for the support. I've actually just started therapy and am looking into possible OCD.

Best Wishes

8

Hi Jane,

Thank you for replying. I've actually been told to stop the medication for now by my GP. Looking into potential OCD with a therapist and starting ERP. I'm going to try to beat it without meds 🙏

9

Hi GodsServant,

Thank you for replying :) I've actually come off the medication as the side effects were too severe (GP instructed). They shed a bit of light on possible OCD though, so I'm working with a therapist to try to treat this without medication for now.

Many thanks

10

l have also decided to come off sertraline, side effects were getting worse after 14 weeks of persevering. My doctor thinks l need to go back to working with my therapist.

11

sertraline actually give me OCD have keep checking things been awful. Had intrusive thoughts due to zopiclone withdrawaf tried citalopram then sertraline which has now given me OCD that never had before CBT didnt help me at all probably because thoughts were caused by withdrawal. Had started to see psychotherapist who was great but temporarily stopped as only skype now due to corona. Hope you have more luck if try cbt I know it does work for some people.

12

Having a bad day coming off sertraline but have re-started EFT with a therapist and am sure it is helping. Limited contact at the moment but can text and speak on the phone. Also quite a lot on the web about EFT.

13

c53732 to GodsServant. You have been so encouraging and helpful but l have chatted with my doctor and pharmacist and from my past history of antidepressants they both think l will be better coming off sertraline and going back to EFT ( emotional freedom therapy). l guess I'm in for a rough ride getting the drug out of my system but l have only been on it for 14 weeks so hopefully it won't be too bad. Best wishes to you and your husband.

14

Thank you and best wishes to you, too. Take care.

15

Yes, try CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and get this book Stop Obsessing by Edna Foa. I read it decades ago and still use it now and then when my attack comes back. Gives lots of insight into your condition. Wish you the best. Take care.

16

Is that the tapping thing? Did have one session but was very expensive so couldn't afford keep going. The psychotherapist was great but skype wasn't same I needed the personal contact will go back to it later. CBT did nothing for me, but maybe because mine was caused by zopiclone withdrawal not something I had before stopping meds. Did briefly go back on citalopram now withdrawing from that it's tough!

17

hi there,

ive just bought this book i hope it helps! hope to start cbt once lockdown eases. is ocd make you think the worst thoughts possible you could imagine?

18

Lemanna. yes it is ' tapping'.There are some good tapping sessions on 'you tube' that you can follow. l tried CBT but it did nothing for me.

19

I can see it would help if you can afford several sessions with therapist. Don't think CBT works if your symptoms are caused by drugs or drug withdrawal. Been doing exposure therapy for months but my brain needs to repair from the chemicals in the drugs I think!!!

20

Yes, OCD thoughts are strange. I think one of my earliest OCD thoughts was when I did a research paper on AIDS (HIV) back when I was in fourth grade. I don't know why I became obsessed with the thought/fear that I'd contract the virus and I didn't even know anything about sex then. :) HA. I still recall going to the public bathroom and thinking about using a few seat covers to protect myself. Then my other strange thoughts, I called them "bad thoughts" back then because I didn't even know what OCD was. And my thoughts kept being overtaken my a stronger obsessive thought, like harming my loved ones without knowing, about whether or not I was gay, about reality, memory. They're just thoughts, but they make you feel so real and uncomfortable that you get freaked out by your thoughts and you can't run from them. The only good thing is that your mind is aware that these thought are messed up. The thoughts themselves are harmless but the fact that they stress you out and affect your nervous system, and these physical reactions lead to increased thoughts (anxiety) and so, you see the vicious cycle? CBT will give you tools to not get physically reactive to these thoughts, thereby rendering these thought as such. And thoughts, they're really a dime a dozen. Take care. Glad you got the book.