Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsSerotonin SyndromeGetting HelpTreatmentNext Steps After a Zoloft Overdose
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Serotonin Syndrome
Getting Help
Treatment
Next Steps After a Zoloft Overdose
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If you suspect someone has overdosed on Zoloft, immediately call the toll-free national Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or visitPoisonHelp.org. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To save this information on your smartphone, text “POISON” to 797979.
Zoloft (sertraline)) belongs to aclass of antidepressantsknown as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).While safe when taken as prescribed, it may lead to overdose when taken in high doses or combined with other medications that impact serotonin levels.
Someone who’s taken too much Zoloft could have one or many symptoms ranging from mild to severe, but they’re rarely life-threatening. Some are common in most cases, whereas other, less common effects can be more consequential.
Zoloft is one of the most commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressants.It’s typically prescribed for anxiety disorders such asobsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD),panic disorder,social anxiety disorder, andpost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). It’s also used to treatmajor depressive disorderandpremenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD).
At a GlanceZoloft is a commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressant that can lead to overdose if you take too much or combine it with some other medications or substances. Signs of a Zoloft overdose typically include confusion, dizziness, fever, nausea, and shakiness. In more severe cases, it may lead to fainting, heart problems, seizures, or serotonin syndrome. It’s important to always take your medication as prescribed and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect an overdose has occurred.
At a Glance
Zoloft is a commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressant that can lead to overdose if you take too much or combine it with some other medications or substances. Signs of a Zoloft overdose typically include confusion, dizziness, fever, nausea, and shakiness. In more severe cases, it may lead to fainting, heart problems, seizures, or serotonin syndrome. It’s important to always take your medication as prescribed and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect an overdose has occurred.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
Symptoms of Zoloft Overdose
Zoloft increases the available amount ofserotonin, the “feel happy"neurotransmitterresponsible for mood and other aspects of health. Too much serotonin, however, can cause symptoms ranging from unpleasant to serious.
Common SymptomsAgitationConfusionDizzinessFeverNausea or vomitingRapid heartbeatShakinessSleepinessSevere SymptomsChanges in blood pressure (higher or lower than normal)FaintingDeliriumHallucinationsHeart problemsInflammation of the pancreasManiaSeizuresSerotonin syndromeStupor
Common SymptomsAgitationConfusionDizzinessFeverNausea or vomitingRapid heartbeatShakinessSleepiness
Agitation
Confusion
Dizziness
Fever
Nausea or vomiting
Rapid heartbeat
Shakiness
Sleepiness
Severe SymptomsChanges in blood pressure (higher or lower than normal)FaintingDeliriumHallucinationsHeart problemsInflammation of the pancreasManiaSeizuresSerotonin syndromeStupor
Changes in blood pressure (higher or lower than normal)
Fainting
Delirium
Hallucinations
Heart problems
Inflammation of the pancreas
Mania
Seizures
Serotonin syndrome
Stupor
Signs of an Antidepressant Overdose
Among the most serious risks of Zoloft overdose isserotonin syndrome, in which levels of serotonin reach a level that can cause symptoms such as:
Serotonin syndrome is most likely to happen in interaction with another drug.
How Much Zoloft Is Too Much?A person’s tolerance for a drug depends on many factors, such as age, body weight, overall health, and other substances ingested. For this reason, it’s difficult to know whether a particular dose of Zoloft might be harmful for a particular person. One dose may be exactly right for relieving symptoms for one person, whereas the same amount of medication could cause symptoms of overdose in another.
How Much Zoloft Is Too Much?
A person’s tolerance for a drug depends on many factors, such as age, body weight, overall health, and other substances ingested. For this reason, it’s difficult to know whether a particular dose of Zoloft might be harmful for a particular person. One dose may be exactly right for relieving symptoms for one person, whereas the same amount of medication could cause symptoms of overdose in another.
Getting Help for Zoloft Overdose
If you or someone you know has accidentally taken a higher dose of Zoloft than prescribed, it’s a good idea to get help right away, before the drug has a chance to cause unpleasant or dangerous symptoms.
If a trip to an emergency room isn’t possible, call the national toll-free Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or visitPoisonHelp.org. The staff there is trained to assess your situation over the phone and give advice about what to do.
Information to Have Ready
When you go to the emergency room or call Poison Control, the more information you can provide, the more precise the treatment can be. Having the following information available will be helpful:
Treatment for Zoloft Overdose
If the overdose was fairly recent, healthcare providers might pump the person’s stomach to remove any of the drug that the body has not absorbed yet. Another option is to use activated charcoal to absorb any remaining medication in the stomach.
There’s no antidote for a Zoloft overdose. Healthcare providers will monitor the person’s vital signs—heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure—and treat any problems that might arise.
SSRIs like Zoloft rarely cause death, even with an overdose; most deaths occur because of co-ingestion with other drugs.
The next step is to make sure that an overdose does not happen again. To prevent accidental overdose:
If the overdose was intentional, short-term treatment might involve hospitalization until therisk of suicideis no longer imminent. Health professionals might advise switching to another type of antidepressant if sertraline has not been effective in reducing depressive symptoms.
Long-term treatments might involve further use of antidepressants,psychotherapy, andpsychosocial supportto address suicidal thoughts andsymptoms of depression.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Precautions You Should Take Before Taking Zoloft
5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.ZOLOFT- sertraline hydrochloride tablet.Cooper JM, Duffull SB, Saiao AS, Isbister GK.The pharmacokinetics of sertraline in overdose and the effect of activated charcoal.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;79(2):307-315. doi:10.1111/bcp.12500Marasine NR, Sankhi S, Lamichhane R, Marasini NR, Dangi NB.Use of antidepressants among patients diagnosed with depression: A scoping review.Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:6699028. doi:10.1155/2021/6699028Foong AL, Grindrod KA, Patel T, Kellar J.Demystifying serotonin syndrome.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(10):720-727. PMID: 30315014National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH.Serotonin syndrome.
5 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.ZOLOFT- sertraline hydrochloride tablet.Cooper JM, Duffull SB, Saiao AS, Isbister GK.The pharmacokinetics of sertraline in overdose and the effect of activated charcoal.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;79(2):307-315. doi:10.1111/bcp.12500Marasine NR, Sankhi S, Lamichhane R, Marasini NR, Dangi NB.Use of antidepressants among patients diagnosed with depression: A scoping review.Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:6699028. doi:10.1155/2021/6699028Foong AL, Grindrod KA, Patel T, Kellar J.Demystifying serotonin syndrome.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(10):720-727. PMID: 30315014National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH.Serotonin syndrome.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.ZOLOFT- sertraline hydrochloride tablet.Cooper JM, Duffull SB, Saiao AS, Isbister GK.The pharmacokinetics of sertraline in overdose and the effect of activated charcoal.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;79(2):307-315. doi:10.1111/bcp.12500Marasine NR, Sankhi S, Lamichhane R, Marasini NR, Dangi NB.Use of antidepressants among patients diagnosed with depression: A scoping review.Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:6699028. doi:10.1155/2021/6699028Foong AL, Grindrod KA, Patel T, Kellar J.Demystifying serotonin syndrome.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(10):720-727. PMID: 30315014National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH.Serotonin syndrome.
U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health.ZOLOFT- sertraline hydrochloride tablet.
Cooper JM, Duffull SB, Saiao AS, Isbister GK.The pharmacokinetics of sertraline in overdose and the effect of activated charcoal.Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;79(2):307-315. doi:10.1111/bcp.12500
Marasine NR, Sankhi S, Lamichhane R, Marasini NR, Dangi NB.Use of antidepressants among patients diagnosed with depression: A scoping review.Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:6699028. doi:10.1155/2021/6699028
Foong AL, Grindrod KA, Patel T, Kellar J.Demystifying serotonin syndrome.Can Fam Physician. 2018;64(10):720-727. PMID: 30315014
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH.Serotonin syndrome.
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