I've been taking Zoloft now for about 10 years. I was first diagnosed with depression in 1994 when I was in graduate school. I was on it for about 6 years...then I went off for a year to lose some weight I gained on Zoloft. about 3 years ago I was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (an anxiety disorder related to depression) and went back on Zoloft. Now, because of the weight gain, I've gone back and forth about lowering my dose and coming off completely. I will tell you this...I recently lowered my dose....like about 3 weeks ago...and I can feel the same horrible depression and anxiety creeping back in so what am I going to do? That's right...I'm going to increase my Zoloft with the realization that I will be on this drug for the rest of my life.
When push comes to shove, it's better to just take that pill every day and get on with living than to try and tough it out on your own...which anyone with depression will tell you is almost impossible. Zoloft saved my life many times and I know now that I will have to make extreme sacrifices to both lose some weight but not lose my mind.
You hang in there...there's no harm in being on Zoloft for the rest of your life...because we all want you to have a long and HAPPY life.