Sertraline - amazing, but how can I...

[Nancylancy]

...Feel motivated to do anything any more?

I started on it about 6 months ago and honestly it has been amazing, and I mean AMAZING for my anxiety. I started a few new little crafty hobbies at the time to try make myself feel better, the kinds of things I have always enjoyed. Crochet, colouring, baking etc.
But ever since the meds took full effect, I honestly just can't be bothered to do any of it! I don't feel sad or depressed, but I feel like these "wellness" hobbies just feel like a chore and I can't be arsed doing them. I feel a bit apathetic. I've tried reading and it's bloody boring. I've got audiobooks now but even that isn't exciting me! I don't feel like I'm really enjoying anything. I didn't have hobbies before, though.

Has anyone else on sertraline got any advice on things they do that they really enjoy? (I'm a mum of 2 primary aged kids, and often solo parent so can't always leave the house on an evening). Things that break through the apathy?
Hobbies? Activities? Things you love doing?

I definitely don't want to reduce my dose yet, even though I feel like this may help.

Im not as active as you by the sounds of it but I love getting into a good series. Helps take my mind off things.

Oh good shout - tbh I relate as I've binged on a couple of netflix series recently, however I've been trying to reduce my screen time especially on an evening as I was just staying up late to watch the next episode then being knackered the next day.
X

I would say you have to realise that your medication is not amazing at all. It’s helped the anxiety but it’s taken a lot away at the same time. That sounds worse to me, not better. I would speak to the GP about potentially trying something else.

How old are you? I was on Sertraline on and off for a good few years but it wasn’t till I came off and started HRT instead that I got any motivation back to do anything extra/hobbyish.

I don’t know if the sertraline was stopping me from doing anything though as I went on it when the kids were very young so couldn’t do anything much anyway

Speak to the GP about other medications - this appears to be a common side effect of some Anti depressants - you need something that boosts the dopamine a bit in the brain as well as the serotonin

I'm 38. My kids are both in KS1, so I don't have a lot of time at all. DH works away a lot and my job is very full on - despite being part time.
And tbh I guess I don't know if I'd want to do these things if I wasn't on it.
I tried to take up something I enjoyed to help my mental wellbeing at the time, while I was off work. I thought one of the reasons I became so stressed / burnt out in the first place was maybe due to having no time for myself/ having no hobbies, so I thought I'd try find something that helped me wind down.
Maybe I've just not found the right thing.
Or maybe watching netflix is actually fine, because I do enjoy it and I do feel wound down! But yeah it was becoming a problem (enjoying it too much!) with lots of late nights, so I was getting too exhausted!

The only other thing I seem to enjoy is scrolling and Mumsnet! I feel like I need to be better lol.

It's definitely much better than before. The symptoms of anxiety I was experiencing were awful - palpitations, headaches, constant crying, feeling like I was drowning, not being able to let anything go / overthinking. That's all stopped. I did have some CBT alongside which helped too, but I genuinely feel like a different person (in a good way) on it. Like myself again.
I know SSRIs can dampen both sides though - it takes away the lowest lows but also the highest highs. Based on how I feel now, I absolutely don't want to consider dropping my dose or changing / stopping, but I do think I'm noticing it's harder to get excited about things.

I can't get worked up about anything - which is great and a huge improvement. I was shouting at the kids, irritable. My family suffered and I felt like a horrible person.
But yeah, can't seem to get too excited about things either.

I've just started exercising again though so I think that will help!

Im scrolling and watching Netflix in bed now lol. Absentia is good! Have a cut off say 10.30/11 tele off and time it for the end of an episode?

Can I ask when it started to work? DH has been on it a week and he seems ….. numb ….

I have heard that if you have depression and anxiety, with sertraline the anxiety can be reduced first, and as you get less agitated the lower mood can be more obvious, which might be showing as apathy. Maybe worth a chat to the doctor again?

I felt a bit weird for a week or so, and then much more chilled out by week 4. But honestly I'd say it took about 3 months to fully take effect - and I also increased my dose after 6 weeks. The GP told me it takes at least 6-8 weeks to start working fully as it builds up in your system.

Yes maybe so. We did touch on this with the CBT, they said something similar when I said I didn't feel anxious but felt a bit low... and you've reminded me they sent me a few resources for depression as well. I'll go have a look at them. Thank you. I will definitely speak to my GP if I decide to reduce or change the medication. I don't feel depressed as such, but just a bit of a lack of motivation. Like I don't really care - which I suppose is why my anxiety is so much better!

Another here who thinks you might not have got the dose quite right. It’s tricky because it could be either too high or too low. I find it hard to concentrate if my dose is too high but absolutely need Sertraline to function and have for decades and am a complete mess if my dose is too low, so lots of tweaking needed.

As for hobbies this may sound a bit random but when my mental health was poor and I couldn’t do my hobbies I got into perfumes. I got lots of little samples and just, well, smelt them. As I got better I started reading about perfume too and learning about it but to start with just smelling them was relaxing and grounding. I think doing something really sensory and also very undemanding can help if your mind is struggling.

Another idea is jigsaw puzzles if you’ve got that sort of mind.

Oooh thanks for this. That's actually really made me smile, because I put a book of essential oils on my wishlist for Christmas and also asked for some little essential oil wrist roller things - I love nice smelling spa type smells and I find aromatherapy stuff really relaxing. I used to keep tiger balm in my bag before I started medication and I'd take it out and smell it now and again if I felt stressed or got headachey - I love the smell! I might order myself the essential oils book, and maybe some oils to start experimenting myself!

I am also a fan of jigsaws - though I only own one of my own 😂 and am now on a mission to find a new adult jigsaw to order with my Christmas money. I feel like it needs to be easy enough to start it and keep going, and hard enough to keep me interested/ challenged.

Just to clarify, it doesn’t sound like you are struggling in the same was I was as you sound calm and able to function well (which I wasn’t). But the idea of doing something of an undemanding and sensory nature for your mind to focus on might still be relevant.

Also interesting about the dose - I definitely found it really hard to concentrate on anything at first, but that seems to have calmed down now I've been on it a while. I also felt a bit more forgetful than usual, but again I think that's worn off a bit. Tbh I do almost feel like the dose is just right. Like it's just taken me to the point it might have been too much, and I've managed to get used to it and it's just dampened down those side effects enough to manage. I do wonder if a PP is right about the anxiety leaving, and highlighting a bit of an underlying low mood. Or actually just highlighting that I DON'T really do anything for myself or have time for myself - and I just haven't found the right thing yet.

That being said, I could always tweak the dose and see what happens, can always tweak it back.

Nothing wrong with Netflix.
Good luck

I have friends who are taking Sertraline. An absolute game changer barring one who is still struggling with intrusive thoughts .
If this medication is working for you then just keep going and try not too over analyse how you are feeling.X

Essential oils sound good. I got very interested in perfume ingredients particularly the plant ones.

There are some lovely jigsaws about. I must start doing one. I love it when I have one on the go but need to clear a space to start one as other hobbies are currently taking all the space.

Maybe your dose is okay and you just need to give it a bit more time to get back to normal. It sounds like you have a lot on with two young children and you are clearly in a lot better place than you were which is great.

Thank you for posting - relief to know it’s not just me. Also been on Setraline for nearly 6 months- low dose. Loving the anxiety reduction and the calmness, but also struck with a can’t be arsed and have little interest in anything - not in a depressed way just in a don’t care very much way. It would be annoying (if I could be bothered to get annoyed ;p)

Hello! I'm 39 and currently on maternity leave with a 6 month old, I also have a 3 and a half year old so life is pretty hectic! I've just started taking Sertraline due to low mood / anxiety - I lost my dad whilst pregnant, very intense job, was studying AND living through a renovation. There's only so much one person can take. I could go on and on but I'll cut to the chase :-) I've gotten into puzzles. I LOVE a good puzzle! Once the kids are in bed and chores around the house are done, I'll bring out my puzzle and do that for an hour or so (I got a puzzle board so I can pick it up / slide it under the sofa when I need to store it away). I also bought myself a Nintendo Switch Lite and got myself Animal Crossing - just another way to get away from doom scrolling on the phone, and it's actually super relaxing. Such a cozy game :-) Just a couple of ideas for you x

My first question is how much fresh air and movement/exercise are you getting? Creative hobbies are great but can be sendentary. It may be that you are doing too much 'sitting' which in itself can stop you from having any energy or drive - a bit use it or lose it.. If you aren't aready doing so, could you think about moving more? Do some somatic exercises or onine yoga, and even some breathwor or meditation? You can do Yoga to fab music, go for brisk walk outside with podcast or upbeat music on? Get some early morning sun into you outside? And now it isn't so dar so early go in the early evening? Maybe with your children if need be and get moving? It is a quic way to get some endorphins going. You can reward yourself with promise of a sit in fron of the tv and a show or a fab bath with nice smellies etc? And then if you ARE in the mood wind down with some creative hobby or don't? Creative hobbies are great if they are bringing you joy or a glimmer into your day or adding therapeutic benefit, but if they aren't at the moment, switch it up. Get the same benefit from something else - moving, connecting with a mate on facetime or cooking something you want to try, or sorting through a cupboard, whatever you need? Are you making time to connect with other adults/friends? Socia connection is so important to well being - be it by joining a club /or group activity, meeting for coffee, or fitting daily chores in with a pal or other people (dog walking, supermarket trip done together can be a lo more fun and helps build routine and set times for sharing/ and offllloading with someone else, or having a gossip etc that we forget we can miss out on if you are a parent that is just rushing to get chores done and ids to school and fed etc. even though you might be busy through the day, getting stuff done it doesn't mean you might be doing much of it alone and missing social connection? More time spent alone means more time for ruminating on same topics too and more intense focus on things that you could be distracted from by being with others? Creative tasks can be therapeutic and soothing but they can also have you sitting brooding so maybe sharing creativity with your children or something might help? I've no idea if you work or how old your children are so much of this may not apply or be practica / or true for you, but maybe it will be for someone else. External focus can be v helpful in getting our mindset shifted.

This sounds quite plausible. How sure are you that the apathy is caused by the sertraline? For example, could it be that the little crafty hobbies were just fun for a while, and now the novelty has worn off a bit? Or could it be that you clung to them as a kind of anchor when your anxiety was really bad but now that you don't need them in that particular way, they aren't really right for you.

I take sertraline and I have found them way better for reducing anxiety than for lifting depression; but I haven't found that they themselves have caused the apathy that we associate with depression.

In a way, anxiety is a source of energy, because it generates a high level of arousal that spins off into agitated activity, much of it aimed at fighting away all the mental and bodily agitation that anxiety brings.

As our anxiety ebbs, we lose this (bad) source of energy and may find that there is nothing to take its place -- that we just don't have a capacity for happy, tranquil arousal/motivation.