If you've been diagnosed with depression, an anxiety disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and have read about different antidepressant drugs, maybe you've decided on getting a Zoloft® prescription in the hopes of easing your symptoms. Psychiatrists do take a patient's preference to try a certain medication into consideration, but this can't be the only criteria doctors base their decisions on when choosing whether or not to prescribe a specific drug. Virtually all drugs interact with other medications and/or cause side effects and these characteristics must be carefully considered as the patient's overall health must be a priority. Cost is also a factor to consider as Zoloft® isn't a low-cost medication — however, if a medicine works well in a small dose it's easily a better value than a less effective drug taken in larger doses. Unless you shouldn't have a Zoloft® prescription, then your diagnosing psychiatrist is likely to prescribe it to reduce your depression, anxiety or OCD symptoms.
Symptoms of OCD may include an excessive need to wash one's hands or clean the home. This behavior is at a level that makes it interfere with daily living. Some people with OCD obsessively check or count things throughout the day, such as making sure an iron is shut off 20 times or feeling the urge to take a certain number of steps to reach each specific room in the home. Symptoms of anxiety disorders are panic attacks or intense fears of social situations. Symptoms of depression include major changes in mood and sleeping and eating habits — suicidal thoughts may also be present.
For teens or children diagnosed with depression or an anxiety disorder, a Zoloft® prescription isn't likely as studies have shown an increased risk for suicidal behavior in younger patients taking Zoloft®. Younger people diagnosed with OCD, however, may be prescribed Zoloft®. It's important to be under the care of a psychiatrist when taking any antidepressant medication. As there may be a genetic connection to how drugs work or don’t work, getting a Zoloft® prescription is often easier if the medication has proven effective for a blood relative.
Getting a Zoloft® prescription isn't a good idea if you drink alcohol regularly or abuse it, as alcohol is a depressant and destroys the effects of antidepressant medications. Some herbal remedies such as St. John's wort shouldn't be taken with Zoloft® because side effects such as fatigue and confusion could result. In milder cases of depression, a psychiatrist may want the patient to try other therapies or changes in diet and exercise before deciding on issuing a Zoloft® prescription.