Hello all. First of all, I know 12.5mg is like a child's dose and I'm probably being paranoid, however, I'm desperately seeking a solution and some reassurance. I'm 46yo and have had a hell of a year. Always been a bit of an overthinker but the past few months after some challenging events have brought a peak in panic/anxiety, and now in the last few weeks I've had a terrifying sense of dread/bleakness that isn't connected to any conscious worry and feels really scary. I tried HRT for a month and had some awful reactions: racing pulse, agitation and panic on the days I put on a new patch. So I stopped that. The only other thing I've tried was citalopram about 12 years ago and I felt really drugged/agitated on that so stopped after a few days. The thing is that I can't function like this...am desperate for something to lift this dread and return me to the generally positive person I used to be. My GP has suggested starting sertraline at 12.5mg then increasing to 25mg and beyond if tolerated. I have the tablets but am scared to start...I wonder if I should wait til after Christmas when I have some time off work and can just lie at home and feel dreadful if needed. Anyone else in the same boat? Any positive stories? Thanks so much in advance.