Sertraline (Zoloft) withdrawal
Here is what the FDA-approved label for Sertraline (Zoloft) actually says about stopping it — not a secondhand summary. The single most important point applies to every drug on this list: don’t stop abruptly on your own.
What the label says about stopping Sertraline
The label describes a discontinuation syndrome. It reports spontaneous cases of adverse events on stopping sertraline and other SSRIs/SNRIs, particularly when abrupt, including dysphoric mood, irritability, agitation, dizziness, sensory disturbances (paresthesias such as electric shock sensations), anxiety, confusion, headache, lethargy, emotional lability, insomnia, and hypomania. While generally self-limiting, serious discontinuation symptoms have been reported. The label directs that if the prescriber decides to stop treatment, the dose should be tapered rather than stopped abruptly, with gradual reduction whenever possible; if intolerable symptoms occur, the prescriber may resume the prior dose and then decrease more gradually. This taper is a prescriber-managed decision. Note: sertraline's boxed warning concerns suicidality in children/adolescents/young adults, not withdrawal.
Why the taper matters
After your body adapts to a drug taken regularly, removing it too fast forces an abrupt readjustment — that is what withdrawal (also called discontinuation) is. A prescriber-managed taper steps the dose down gradually so the adjustment is gentle, and it can be slowed if a step is hard. This is why the fix is never to “push through” a cold-turkey stop, and never to piece a schedule together from a forum. Talk to the prescriber who manages your dose before you change anything.
And alcohol with Sertraline?
The label addresses alcohol. It states that although sertraline did not potentiate the cognitive and psychomotor effects of alcohol in experiments with normal subjects, the concomitant use of sertraline and alcohol is not advised. This is not a disulfiram-like reaction and the label does not attribute it to additive CNS depression; it is a general precaution against combining the two.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop Sertraline suddenly?
Not on your own. Sertraline's FDA label describes a discontinuation or withdrawal issue (summarized above), and stopping abruptly after regular use can bring it on. The safe route is a gradual, prescriber-managed taper — a cold-turkey stop decided alone is exactly what the label warns against.
How long does Sertraline withdrawal last?
There is no single answer and the FDA label does not set a fixed timeline. In general it depends on the drug's half-life, your dose, and how long you took it — and a slow, prescriber-guided taper is what shortens and softens it. Ask the prescriber who manages your dose to map a schedule to your situation.
How do you safely taper off Sertraline?
Tapering means lowering the dose in steps over weeks so your body adjusts, under the prescriber who knows your history. If a step is too hard, the schedule can be slowed — that flexibility is the point. Do not design a taper yourself from an internet schedule, and do not use alcohol or other sedatives to cope with symptoms.
If you are having a medical emergency — or thoughts of harming yourself while stopping a medication — call 911, or call or text 988 (the US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Source
More guides for Sertraline
Other drugs: Alprazolam · Baclofen · Bupropion · Citalopram · Clonazepam · Clonidine · Cyclobenzaprine · Diazepam · Duloxetine · Escitalopram · Fluoxetine · Gabapentin · Hydrocodone · Lamotrigine · all drugs.
The description of stopping this drug is transcribed from its FDA-approved label; the taper guidance is general and true of these medicines as a class. This is reference information, not medical advice, and not a taper schedule — do not start, stop, or change a dose based on it. Any change should be planned with your prescriber.