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EspañolZoloft is a brand-name prescription drug (generic name: sertraline hcl) used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Zoloft is commonly prescribed off-label for generalized anxiety disorder, hot flashes, premature ejaculation, or, in children, separation anxiety.
Sertraline hydrochloride, the active ingredient in Zoloft, belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which raise the levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, memory, and impulses.
Zoloft is taken orally as a tablet or oral solution once per day. Doses will vary and may need to change over the course of treatment. It will take two or more weeks of Zoloft therapy for its therapeutic effects on mood and behaviors to become noticeable.
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Zoloft forms and strengths
People taking Zoloft can choose between two dosage forms: tablets or oral solutions.
Tablets: 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
Oral solution: 20 mg per mL
Zoloft dosage for adults
The standard Zoloft dosage for major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social anxiety disorder is 50 to 200 mg tablets or oral solution taken daily. Dosing will start at 25 or 50 mg per day and be increased until an effective dose is reached.
| Zoloft dosage chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indication | Starting dosage | Standard dosage | Maximum dosage |
| Major depressive disorder | 50 mg once daily | 50–200 mg once daily | 200 mg per day |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder | 50 mg once daily | 50–200 mg once daily | 200 mg per day |
| Panic disorder | 25 mg once daily | 50–200 mg once daily | 200 mg per day |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | 25 mg once daily | 50–200 mg once daily | 200 mg per day |
| Social anxiety disorder | 25 mg once daily | 50–200 mg once daily | 200 mg per day |
| Premenstrual dysphoric disorder | 50 mg once daily | 50–150 mg once daily | 150 mg per day |
Source: Epocrates
Zoloft dosage for major depressive disorder
Zoloft is an antidepressant widely used to treat patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Distinct from depression, major depressive disorder is diagnosed when symptoms of depression—sadness, loss of enjoyment, suicidal thoughts, and other symptoms—last for two weeks or longer. SSRIs increase serotonin in the parts of the brain that regulate mood. After a few weeks of sertraline therapy, people are better able to manage symptoms of depression.
Standard adult dosage for major depressive disorder: 50–200 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for major depressive disorder: 200 mg per day
Zoloft dosage for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Zoloft is prescribed to manage obsessions (persistent, unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (irresistible impulses to act repeatedly on intrusive thoughts) in people diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). SSRIs such as sertraline increase serotonin in the parts of the brain responsible for regulating thoughts and impulses, helping people to better manage obsessions and compulsions.
Standard adult dosage for OCD: 50–200 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for OCD: 200 mg per day
Zoloft dosage for panic disorder
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder in which people experience frequent and uncontrollable panic attacks that come on suddenly and sometimes without any triggering event. SSRIs like sertraline increase serotonin in the areas of the brain responsible for mood regulation, helping reduce the incidence of panic attacks.
Standard adult dosage for panic disorder: 50–200 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for panic disorder: 200 mg per day
Zoloft dosage for post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) originates in traumatic experiences that threaten death, injury, or serious assault. After this exposure, people may replay the trauma in their head, involuntarily think about aspects of the trauma, have flashbacks and nightmares, and experience negative emotions and suicidal thoughts. All of these symptoms are bad enough to significantly interfere with their lives. SSRIs and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) improve many of the psychological symptoms of PTSD.
Standard adult dosage for PTSD: 50–200 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for PTSD: 200 mg per day
Zoloft dosage for social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder (SAD), or social phobia, is a fear of certain types of social situations. This fear may be great enough to impair a person’s daily functioning. As with other anxiety disorders, sertraline helps people better manage fear and other moods associated with anxiety.
Standard adult dosage for SAD: 50–200 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for SAD: 200 mg per day
Zoloft dosage for premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome that includes severe psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and irritability. Symptoms typically begin one or two weeks before a woman’s period and end a few days after the start of the period. Zoloft is considered a first-line treatment for PMDD and has been shown to effectively treat the symptoms of PMDD, including physical symptoms. For PMDD, Zoloft can be taken continuously through the menstrual cycle or started 14 days before a period and continued to the onset of menses.
Standard adult dosage for PMDD: 50–150 mg taken once daily
Maximum adult dosage for PMDD: 150 mg per day when taken daily; 100 mg per day when taken only during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (the phase right before a menstrual period, lasting about 14 days)
Zoloft dosage for children
Zoloft is FDA-approved to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder in children as young as 6 years of age. Healthcare providers, however, may prescribe Zoloft off-label to treat major depressive disorder in children 6 years and older. Dosages do not differ significantly from adult dosages, though younger children are started on the lowest possible dose. Children taking Zoloft will need to be monitored for worsening depression, suicidality, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
| Zoloft dosage by age | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age | Standard dosage | Maximum dosage |
| Ages 6–12 | 25–200 mg taken once per day | 200 mg daily |
| Ages 13-17 | 50–200 mg taken once per day | 200 mg daily |
Zoloft dosage restrictions
Zoloft should not be given to people who are allergic to sertraline. Because sertraline is metabolized by the liver, the Zoloft dose will be reduced by half in people with mild liver disease (hepatic impairment). Healthcare providers should avoid prescribing Zoloft to people with moderate to serious hepatic impairment. People with renal impairment do not require a dose adjustment.
Zoloft dosage for pets
Sertraline, the active ingredient in Zoloft, is frequently used in cats and dogs to treat problem behaviors including anxiety, aggression, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Cats may also be given sertraline to treat urine-marking behaviors, fear, or dominance behaviors.
There is no standard dosage for cats and dogs. The dose and dosing frequency will be determined by the diagnosis and practitioner. Dogs can be expected to take 0.25 to 4 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight daily depending on the condition being treated. Cats may receive 0.25 to 1.3 mg/kg depending on the diagnosis. Doses are given by mouth once or twice per day.
How to take Zoloft
Zoloft is taken as a tablet or oral solution once daily with or without food.
Take this medicine as directed. The dose may need to be changed regularly, particularly in the first few weeks until an effective dose is reached.
A Zoloft prescription will include a medication guide. Please read the entire medication guide before taking this medicine.
Zoloft may take several weeks of daily dosing before symptoms improve. Continue to take the medicine even if it doesn’t seem to work. Talk to a doctor or other healthcare professional if there are concerns about Zoloft’s effectiveness or side effects.
Store Zoloft tablets or oral solution at room temperature (68°–77° F) in a tightly sealed container.
Tablet
Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
Oral solution
Zoloft oral solution is a concentrate and must be diluted before administration.
Use the calibrated dropper provided with the medicine to measure out the liquid. The dropper only has two markings, 25 mg and 50 mg. You may need to use the dropper more than once to measure out a dose larger than 50 mg.
Dilute the concentrate with ½ cup of water, ginger ale, lemon/lime soda, lemonade, or orange juice.
The mixture may look cloudy or hazy; this is normal.
Swallow the entire mixture.
Zoloft dosage FAQs
How long does it take Zoloft to work?
People will need to take Zoloft daily for several weeks before they notice any improvement in symptoms.
How long does Zoloft stay in your system?
Zoloft has a half-life of 24–26 hours, meaning it will take about four to five days after the last dose taken to completely eliminate Zoloft from the body.
What happens if I miss a dose of Zoloft?
Take a missed or forgotten dose as soon as it’s remembered. If it is almost time for the next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
How long can you take Zoloft?
Antidepressant therapy typically takes four to six weeks to relieve the symptoms of depression or other disorders but will require six to nine months of continuous therapy to prevent a recurrence. Severe depression or anxiety disorders may require a year or more of continuous treatment.
How do I stop taking Zoloft?
Do not stop taking Zoloft until talking to a doctor or other medical or mental health professional. Sudden discontinuation of Zoloft can provoke withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, anxiety, irritability, and headache. If Zoloft needs to be discontinued, a healthcare professional will prescribe a steadily tapering dose to reduce the likelihood of withdrawal.
Some people, however, may need to discontinue Zoloft because of an allergic reaction, drug interactions, unpleasant adverse effects (excessive drowsiness, trouble sleeping, or dry mouth), or serious side effects (glaucoma, serotonin syndrome, hypomania, worsening depression, or suicidality in children and young adults).
For depression, alternatives to Zoloft include other SSRIs like Prozac (fluoxetine) or Lexapro (escitalopram), and SNRIs such as venlafaxine, tricyclic antidepressants, and atypical antidepressants.
For PMDD treatment, the FDA has approved two other SSRI drugs besides sertraline: fluoxetine and paroxetine.
What interacts with Zoloft?
Zoloft should never be taken with the antipsychotic medications pimozide or thioridazine or with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAO inhibitors include some antidepressants (phenelzine, isocarboxazid, tranylcypromine), antibiotics (linezolid), Parkinson’s medications (rasagiline and selegiline), and methylene blue (a common medical imaging dye injection).
Some Zoloft drug combinations carry an increased risk of serotonin syndrome, which involves raising serotonin levels to a dangerous level in the body. Serotonin syndrome is most often caused by taking two or more drugs that raise serotonin levels. Certain drugs raise serotonin levels and should be used cautiously with Zoloft. These medications include antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiety medications, lithium (for bipolar disorder), opioids such as tramadol, triptans (migraine medications), amphetamines, anti-nausea drugs, and some herbal supplements, such as tryptophan and St. John’s wort.
What happens when you mix Zoloft and alcohol?
People taking Zoloft should avoid drinking. Alcohol can worsen some of the side effects of Zoloft such as drowsiness, dizziness, respiratory depression, sexual dysfunction, and coordination problems.
Is it safe to take Zoloft during pregnancy?
Because of possible harm to the fetus or a newborn, Zoloft is used cautiously in pregnant women, particularly in the third trimester. For nursing women, very little sertraline passes into breast milk. For this reason, sertraline is considered the SSRI of choice for women who are breastfeeding.
Related resources for Zoloft dosages:
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