# Zoloft, Agitation?



## Trek (Apr 12, 2010)

So, I've been finally seeing results from zoloft after my doc carefully upping my dose little by little.

I've been on 100mg/day for about a month now, seems to be working pretty well. But one thing that I've noticed that I'm often very agitated quite easily.

For example, a person sitting next to me, twirling their hair will drive me insane and I won't be able to do anything but hyperfocus on that one action that is driving me nuts. I often have to get up and move seats in class if someone near me or in my field of view starts tapping, or shaking their foot or something. I feel kinda bad about it.

So, could this be side effect from the zoloft, or am I just an intolerable jackass?

Thanks.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Probably a bit of both. Just kidding.

How do you define "working?" By that, I mean are you treating just social phobia, social phobia with depression, etc.?

I'm not sure I'd call it a side effect. SSRIs typically cause sedation, if anything. 

It's more likely a sort of mixed state feature. Irritability is a very sensitive indicator of mixed states in seemingly unipolar depression. Now, I'm not sure if you're currently dealing with depression, but social phobia in some cases does seem to have an etiological link with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder can cause mixed states, anywhere from subtle ones like what you're experiencing (so-called "sub-syndromal") to full-blown mania overlaid on full-blown depression.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

Zoloft is one of the only ssris that actually does slightly hit dopamine at higher doses, and of course increased dopamine is associated with anger and agitation hence what you feel. 


Zoloft is also known as one of the best ssris for cognition due to its dopamine enhancing effect. 


Luvox on the other hand hits dopamine the least and has the highest affinity for serotonin if thats what your looking for in an ssri.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Zoloft is one of the only ssris that actually does slightly hit dopamine at higher doses, and of course increased dopamine is associated with anger and agitation hence what you feel.
> 
> Zoloft is also known as one of the best ssris for cognition due to its dopamine enhancing effect.


I'd like to see some evidence for the ludicrously simplistic correlation you've asserted between "increased dopamine" and "anger and agitation."


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> I'd like to see some evidence for the ludicrously simplistic correlation you've asserted between "increased dopamine" and "anger and agitation."


Its obviously just a generality but its pretty well known to be true. Its why amphetamines and most stimulants commonly cause anger and agitation. Its also why antipsychotics that block dopamine are often used for aggression and agitation, impulsitivity, irritability ect. If you wanna look up excess and high levels of dopamine and the correlations of aggression go ahead, i cant waste my time though.

I might add, almost everything in psychiatric medicine is approached simplistically and basic assumptions are often used because they have to be. its not an exact science.

Just like its known serotonin boosting medications VERY commonly cause apathy, and many doctors postulate that this is through a decrease in dopamine as the two are known to exert a push pull relationship with each other.

SSRIS are marketed upon the theory that increased serotonin improves mood, wouldnt you say thats a ludicrously simple assertion??


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Its obviously just a generality but its pretty well known to be true. Its why amphetamines and most stimulants commonly cause anger and agitation. Its also why antipsychotics that block dopamine are often used for aggression and agitation, impulsitivity, irritability ect. If you wanna look up excess and high levels of dopamine and the correlations of aggression go ahead, i cant waste my time though.


And how, again, are you concluding that stimulants "commonly cause anger and agitation?" If they do, it's probably either in excessive doses or in people who have untreated bipolar disorder, since 1) anger and agitation are both symptoms of dysphoric or irritable hypomania, 2) stimulants often cause manic or mixed episodes in and generally wreak havoc on the moods of non-mood-stabilized bipolars, 3) irritability (which pretty much encapsulates anger/agitation) is the most sensitive indicator of a mixed state.

Anti-psychotics do a lot more than "block dopamine." I find it funny you're reverting to this simplistic explanation that you condemn the pharmaceutical companies for conveying.



> I might add, almost everything in psychiatric medicine is approached simplistically and basic assumptions are often used because they have to be. its not an exact science.


Right. It's not an exact science because we don't know enough, but the scientific method is used extensively. Are you saying that's license to pull knowledge out of a hat or because you "read it somewhere?" You did either above with your "generality" about "anger and agitation" being "commonly" caused by stimulants as evidence for increased dopamine levels causing these symptoms. Schizophrenics supposedly have "increased" levels of dopamine, yet most are not "angry or agitated."

According to your logic, why don't we just eliminate the scientific method?



> Just like its known serotonin boosting medications VERY commonly cause apathy, and many doctors postulate that this is through a decrease in dopamine as the two are known to exert a push pull relationship with each other.


Right, that's a postulation, and in all likelihood a wrong one, by way of oversimplification.



> SSRIS are marketed upon the theory that increased serotonin improves mood, wouldnt you say thats a ludicrously simple assertion??


Yes, and I never asserted otherwise... but that's also marketing, and this is supposed to be a more intellectual discussion.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

lol... wow. I wont bother replying to most of that crap. 


Im going to stand by my simple, generalized assertion that increased or excess dopamine can cause aggression and agitation. I use simple explanations because it is the best way to explain complex ideas. Of course theres more to it. 

You are entitled to believe what you want, and from reading most of your posts you certainly seem to enjoy being pedantic. If you want to have an advanced biological discussion on this topic i would do it through PM's as 99% of people don't care about the specifics.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> lol... wow. I wont bother replying to most of that crap.


As you've accused me of being pedantic, I think I'm reasonable in saying you certainly enjoy using ad hominem attacks when you have nothing better, as well as reverting to simplistic assertions that are no better or more rigorous than the ones by which pharmaceutical companies market their products.



> Im going to stand by my simple, generalized assertion that increased or excess dopamine can cause aggression and agitation. I use simple explanations because it is the best way to explain complex ideas. Of course theres more to it.
> 
> You are entitled to believe what you want, and from reading most of your posts you certainly seem to enjoy being pedantic. If you want to have an advanced biological discussion on this topic i would do it through PM's as 99% of people don't care about the specifics.


It's a bad way to explain complex ideas for many reasons, the least of which is because it fails to account for anything of any clinical significance, which is most applicable and relevant to people here, and of course because it's simply wrong. I could also say that the sky is blue because God wanted it that way, but most scientists probably wouldn't agree with that.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

Your whole response just proved my point. Im not sure what your trying to accomplish here. I never claimed my assertion to be scientific fact and i never tried to explain it in a complex way, purposely.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Your whole response just proved my point.


What was your point again? If it's that I'm pedantic, well, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones--ad hominem attacks are pathetic in what should be an adult discussion. And if you consider being right or a decent writer who uses correct grammar pedantic, then sure, I'm pedantic.



> Im not sure what your trying to accomplish here. I never claimed my assertion to be scientific fact and i never tried to explain it in a complex way, purposely.


If it wasn't scientific fact, then what was it? A scientific opinion? Because it's clearly science, or under the guise of science, and it's objectively not fact, but you stated it as such. You didn't preface it with "I believe." or "I think" or any permutation thereof--you actually prefaced it with "of course." This stupid debate arose because I asked for evidence of your original assertion and you had none.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> What was your point again? If it's that I'm pedantic, well, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones--ad hominem attacks are pathetic in what should be an adult discussion. And if you consider being right or a decent writer who uses correct grammar pedantic, then sure, I'm pedantic.
> 
> If it wasn't scientific fact, then what was it? A scientific opinion? Because it's clearly science, or under the guise of science, and it's objectively not fact, but you stated it as such. This stupid debate arose because I asked for evidence of your original assertion and you had none.


Im looking at about 10 articles right now.... if you read my above post i said i couldn't be bothered to post all my articles just because you need confirmation (if i did that for all my posts it would be insane). Im pretty sure you know how to use a search engine. Since when did every assertion on this website have to backed up by 100% solid, linked articles to be taken seriously. You are not required to take my word as fact. Move on....

I never attacked you either. I made a statement that your posts are generally pedantic. That is all.


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## CrazyCatLady (Feb 8, 2011)

Well I'm not sure about the chemical aspects being discussed, but I have to say I've been on about 150mg for about six months and I wouldn't say I get agitated. What's weird is that it has helped me a great deal with the social anxiety bit my OCD seems to be just as bad and ever since I started it I developed a tendency to pick at my scalp which is driving me nuts. I have no idea if that is related at all, but seriously if that is the worst I have to deal with for being able to deal with my life I'll take it.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Im looking at about 10 articles right now.... if you read my above post i said i couldn't be bothered to post all my articles just because you need confirmation (if i did that for all my posts it would be insane). Im pretty sure you know how to use a search engine. Since when did every assertion on this website have to backed up by 100% solid, linked articles to be taken seriously. You are not required to take my word as fact. Move on....


When it's commonly accepted, it doesn't have to be backed up--like saying "major depressive disorder affects a lot of people." When it isn't, and someone asks you for evidence, it's not unreasonable. Your reply just had a bunch of other unfounded assertions to which I took exception.

Your "use a search engine" suggestion is equally as ludicrous as every "fact" you've spouted in this thread. Why don't studies say, instead of bothering with specific citations, "use a search engine to find evidence?" I didn't even ask you for a fraction of that. When you make an ostensibly factual statement, be prepared to back it up, or be prepared to be questioned about it. I don't like misinformation, and if you see me posting it, feel free to call me out on it, too.



> I never attacked you either. I made a statement that your posts are generally pedantic. That is all.


If it wasn't an attack, what was it, another cute "statement of fact" for no other reason than to state it? :rofl I guess I should go tell a friend that's a competitive bicyclist that he sucks at riding. I, by contrast, haven't ridden a bike in years and have the leg strength of an 80-year-old. :roll


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

again, MOVE ON. Pathetic. Or go ahead and waste your time with more paragraphs of crap no one cares about.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> again, MOVE ON. Pathetic.


There's still an elephant in the room. :roll

Edit: Nice edit.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> There's still an elephant in the room. :roll
> 
> Edit: Nice edit.


OK bmwfan07 you won an argument on the internet, thats great. I sometimes forget this a forum for the mentally ill, ill try to be more tolerant next time.

Enjoy having the last word, as clearly thats what your goal is here.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> OK bmwfan07 you won an argument on the internet, thats great. I sometimes forget this a forum for the mentally ill, ill try to be more tolerant next time.


Hey, I've got plenty of issues, but schizophrenia is not one of them (although, to be honest, sometimes I'd rather have it than what I have).

I guess no one cares, right? Not even you. :roll

EDIT: You keep editing. It's fascinating that you "don't care" but yet you've edited your posts to make such profound points twice!


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

Im not sure what schizophrenia has to do with anything... and i figured you were owed a response as you so diligently respond to my posts even when its not helping anyone with anything. I offered a possibility that increased dopamine COULD be an issue, not that it is. I stated that to try and help this person. Your posts in this thread are nothing but unhelpful and rude. Why dont you go post somewhere to actually HELP someone.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Im not sure what schizophrenia has to do with anything...


Well, you mentioned in another thread you have it, and now you're sarcastically saying you're going to be more "tolerant." The irony. I think my earlier glass houses metaphor applies particularly well here.



> and i figured you were owed a response as you so diligently respond to my posts even when its not helping anyone with anything.


And you continue to do the same. I thought I was getting the last word in?!?!?! :cry



> I offered a possibility that increased dopamine COULD be an issue, not that it is. I stated that to try and help this person. Your posts in this thread are nothing but unhelpful and rude. Why dont you go post somewhere to actually HELP someone.


Misinformation does not help anyone--not the person or others who might be reading. Just admit you made an assertion based on complete conjecture or provide evidence to back it up--or stop making yourself look even worse.

If you want to see posts where I've helped people, look in most of them. I enjoy helping people immensely, which is why I sought to clarify misinformation, like yours.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Well you certainly do care.....i can argue with you all day..... When was the last time you posted anything helpful, oh wait...


So are you saying you don't care? Yet you continue posting? :rofl

Later man. I'm going to bed. Remember, don't listen to those darned voices. They don't mean any harm.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

No bmwfan, your just clearly just mentally ill.

My assertion has PLENTY of evidence, just because i don't post it for your personal benefit doesnt mean it does not exist.

Your posts are spiteful and useless most of the time, as every one you posted in this thread is.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> No bmwfan, your just clearly just mentally ill.


Feel free to come up with some cool new diagnoses while I'm sleeping!



> My assertion has PLENTY of evidence, just because i don't post it for your personal benefit doesnt mean it does not exist.


Shame me! Post it! Make me look like an idiot! Come on, do it. You know you want to. Think of how bad I'll look and how good you'll look if you post that evidence. Man, I deserve it. I'm a masochist. Make me look stupid. :boogie



> Your posts are spiteful and useless most of the time, as every one you posted in this thread is.


They're only spiteful when I'm dealing with someone else who's spiteful. I haven't managed to rise above it yet.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> So are you saying you don't care? Yet you continue posting? :rofl
> 
> Later man. I'm going to bed. Remember, don't listen to those darned voices. They don't mean any harm.


Its clear you have nothing better to do than pick fights on the internet on things your clearly wrong about as my point was valid. You just choose to disagree and argue because your mentally ill which is likely why you are depressed. Maybe your depression is due to having no friends, which wouldnt be a stretch based on how you come off as a person.

Also i dont have schizophrenia although i thought i might for a long time. I likely am more a hypochonriac then a schizophrenic. Although for you to talk about hearing voices in your post is an insult to all the schizophrenics on this bored and should get you banned.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> Feel free to come up with some cool new diagnoses while I'm sleeping!
> 
> Shame me! Post it! Make me look like an idiot! Come on, do it. You know you want to. Think of how bad I'll look and how good you'll look if you post that evidence. Man, I deserve it. I'm a masochist. Make me look stupid. :boogie
> 
> They're only spiteful when I'm dealing with someone else who's spiteful. I haven't managed to rise above it yet.


Ok keep posting crap, it seems to be your MO. Its no wonder no one respects your posts and takes you seriously. Apparently if i dont post evidence it doesnt exist, mm hmm your soooo smart.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> Feel free to come up with some cool new diagnoses while I'm sleeping!
> 
> Shame me! Post it! Make me look like an idiot! Come on, do it. You know you want to. Think of how bad I'll look and how good you'll look if you post that evidence. Man, I deserve it. I'm a masochist. Make me look stupid. :boogie
> 
> They're only spiteful when I'm dealing with someone else who's spiteful. I haven't managed to rise above it yet.


I was never spiteful until you decided to make a huge argument and became very rude about it. Again, your mental illness go into the way and turned this into something it DID NOT HAVE TO BE. I wasnt going to let you get away with posting a bunch of crap.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> Ok enjoy waking up a loser, like every day. Its clear you have nothing better to do than pick fights on the internet on things your clearly wrong about as my point was valid. You just choose to disagree and argue because your mentally ill which is likely why you are depressed. Maybe your depression is due to having no friends, which wouldnt be a stretch based on how you come off as a person.


Thanks! Any attempt at an insult coming from you is a compliment.



> Also i dont have schizophrenia although i thought i might for a long time. I likely am more a hypochonriac then a schizophrenic. Although for you to talk about hearing voices in your post is an insult to all the schizophrenics on this bored and should get you banned.


Really? http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/1735114-post105.html So you don't delete it:



> Crazy med just out of observations i know you have social anxiety and anhedonia, you also seem to make very impulsive, risky choices. Ive also noticed that you seem to benefit much more from amphetamine and G as compared to other drugs and do not gain any euphoria at all from opiates without concurrent amphetamine (opiates benefit most everyone alone they are the prototypical euphoriant). That is all in line with you having glutamatergic dysfunction which is implicated in the negative side of schizophrenia.
> 
> Im just gonna throw out there that those are both two of the only drugs that work for the negative symptoms of simple schizophrenia that you self medicate with, PERIOD (which i have i add). Have you ever considered you may have this? Social anxiety is present in most schizophrenics before oneset of a certain subtype and is accompanied by poor impulse control and anhedonia to natural life rewards (does not mean you have to be paranoid there are many subtypes of schizophrenia. I only mention it because i do have it and we share the same reactions to drugs.
> 
> Just a heads up, because if you continue with the hard core drugs you may develop it as i did if you do not have it already and its simply undiagnosed (i would not be suprised), as the onset is often insidious as it was with me. I might add most schizophrenics will deny they are schizophrenic until put on antipsychotics, and will maintain they are fine.


I wasn't the one who initially started a flame war by calling someone else's posts crap multiple times, as well as pedantic.

And, nice try at manipulation, but I have a relative who's schizophrenic and institutionalized. Why would I want to insult schizophrenics? I merely said not to listen to the voices, just as you said that my posts were pedantic. Neither are insults, right?


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Anyway, good night Ben! Hope you're not still angry in the 'morn! My apologies, OP, for so severely derailing your thread... a simple request for evidence turned into a long argument, and part of that was my fault. Shouldn't have let it get to that point.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

LOL, your right i did say i had schizophrenia at one point, i also thought i was bipolar at one point as well as about 50 other things. So good job on doing nothing but insulting the REAL schizophrenics on this forum. I dont give a crap if your relatives are schizophrenic or not.

The funny thing is you started this by saying that my point was incorrect, and you post NO EVIDENCE of my point being WRONG. THEN YOU TRY TO TELL ME TO POST EVIDENCE FOR YOU.... I dont think so....

Your just a hypocrite is all. You ask for evidence of my point yet you yourself provide no contradictory evidence and claim your statement as fact. Loser.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> Anyway, good night Ben! Hope you're not still angry in the 'morn! My apologies, OP, for so severely derailing your thread... a simple request for evidence turned into a long argument, and part of that was my fault. Shouldn't have let it get to that point.


I dont grant requests to rude losers, so thats why i didnt post my evidence. It was more because you come off as the kinda person I dont like. If crazy med had asked i would have happily posted, because he is a chill guy. I have the studies lol.

I dont make trouble with anyone on this forum, you just choose to keep pushing everything like the useless member you are. Again, you then insult all the schizophrenics on this board, then try to take it back because you have schizophrenic relatives.

I have never seen a helpful post from you on this bored, its usually you trying to play doctor or some crap and coming off as trying to sound intelligent when you clearly are not.

Lastly, I cant wait for your future posts so i can de-rail them all with crap like you do and tear your posts to pieces for no reason other than to get my kicks.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Oh, man, just wanted to highlight this one nugget before going to bed... :rofl

So, first you say this:



bben said:


> So good job on doing nothing but insulting the REAL schizophrenics on this forum.


Then you say this:



bben said:


> I dont give a crap if your relatives are schizophrenic or not.


So, apparently it's okay for you to insult my schizophrenic cousin by saying you don't give a crap about her, but not for me to say "don't listen to the voices."

Speaks volumes about you as a person. Night.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

bben said:


> more excuses and insults to derail the topic of the conversation, while evidence that would humiliate me still hasn't been posted after over an hour


*crickets*

Man, this is too entertaining to go to bed, but I need to. Dragging myself away.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> Oh, man, just wanted to highlight this one nugget before going to bed... :rofl
> 
> So, first you say this:
> 
> ...


It's not an insult, why would i give a crap about someone i don't know. Good job buddy. This coming from the guy that starts internet fights, doesnt let **** go, is pedantic, and makes fun of schizophrenics hearing voices. Its ok man you can try and turn it around anyway you want to. Go ahead and post more pedantic non sense so i can laugh.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

bmwfan07 said:


> *crickets*
> 
> Man, this is too entertaining to go to bed, but I need to. Dragging myself away.


please do, i look forward to all your future threads so i can de-rail and make a mockery of them all. I'm not sure how you can actually call yourself intelligent, i actually chuckled thinking about it. At this point im even enjoying putting you down, so please reply more so i can respond.

The funny thing is that my ORIGINAL point is correct, so your whole point is moot. Your just being obnoxious and argumentative not to mention your WRONG.


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## CrazyCatLady (Feb 8, 2011)

Honestly I think we could do without all of the mental illness related insults. Getting back to the original discussion and away from the not proving ourselves thing, I have a question.

Why do you think dopamine causes agitation? Increased dopamine causes satisfaction and happiness, decreased dopamine causes agitation and anger. One of the reasons that Zoloft is a good drug for SAD is that it affects both of these neurotransmitters where most of them only affect serotonin.

I will be perfectly happy to cite references for either of you.

OP, as I said, I've had some odd side effects though none of them were agitation. I would mention it to your doctor.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

It's unfortunate BMWFAN had to *ruin* this thread for his own *selfish* motives.

His whole motive was to discredit a point i made, which ironically was in fact correct. I chose not to provide him with the studies i based my point on because he was so rude.

Im sure he will bump this thread for no reason just to continue a fight that he started.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

CrazyCatLady said:


> Honestly I think we could do without all of the mental illness related insults. Getting back to the original discussion and away from the not proving ourselves thing, I have a question.
> 
> Why do you think dopamine causes agitation? Increased dopamine causes satisfaction and happiness, decreased dopamine causes agitation and anger. One of the reasons that Zoloft is a good drug for SAD is that it affects both of these neurotransmitters where most of them only affect serotonin.
> 
> ...


Im not sure what your asking here. Could you source your information also since, apparently we have to do that now :roll.

Decreased dopamine does not cause anger and agitation lol (if you can show me a pubmed article that says otherwise then ok, but i dont think you can)... Increased dopamine is implicated in reward, but excess can cause anger and agitation. Thats why its so important to have optimum levels. Again this is all greatly generalized. This whole topic has gone to crap honestly.


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## CrazyCatLady (Feb 8, 2011)

Well I just want to say to the OP that from my understanding Zoloft should not make you agitated. If it does then something is not right and you should talk to your doctor. The only people who I know of who become agitated are those who are bipolar because they're not supposed to take it.

I'm not saying that's what's happening with you, I just think it's best to talk to your doctor.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

CrazyCatLady said:


> Honestly I think we could do without all of the mental illness related insults. Getting back to the original discussion and away from the not proving ourselves thing, I have a question.
> 
> Why do you think dopamine causes agitation? Increased dopamine causes satisfaction and happiness, decreased dopamine causes agitation and anger. One of the reasons that Zoloft is a good drug for SAD is that it affects both of these neurotransmitters where most of them only affect serotonin.
> *
> ...


Thats pretty much all wrong.

Please do.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

CrazyCatLady said:


> *Well I just want to say to the OP that from my understanding Zoloft should not make you agitated. *If it does then something is not right and you should talk to your doctor. The only people who I know of who become agitated are those who are bipolar because they're not supposed to take it.
> 
> I'm not saying that's what's happening with you, I just think it's best to talk to your doctor.


I agree, a doctor should be consulted.


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## CrazyCatLady (Feb 8, 2011)

Okay, you do not have to be a complete jerk to me, i was being polite.

I was simply hoping you would elaborate so I could understand where you were coming from but apparently that is asking to be laughed and and ridiculed. 

It is my understanding that both low and high levels of dopamine have negative affects. The point is to keep them balanced. I was wrong to say that low causes agitation, it causes depression. High levels cause agitation. Either way a person taking zoloft should not be experiencing agitation as a normal side effect.

As for the references, considering your attitude I've decided to take a "you show me yours and I'll show you mine" stance.

If anyone else asks I will be happy to oblige.


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## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

I took Zoloft for two years and it made me incredibly agitated, especially in the beginning. I'd wake up contorted grinding my teeth and clenching my fists. I sweat, paced, felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin.

Like cclady, I remember picking, too. Though not picking as much as I did with Anafranil.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

CrazyCatLady said:


> Okay, you do not have to be a complete jerk to me, i was being polite.


Par for the course for this guy, CCL. :no



> I was simply hoping you would elaborate so I could understand where you were coming from but apparently that is asking to be laughed and and ridiculed.


That's correct... Ben's MO is stonewalling with insults and attacks, but he's not particularly good at it and it's quite transparent.



> It is my understanding that both low and high levels of dopamine have negative affects. The point is to keep them balanced. I was wrong to say that low causes agitation, it causes depression. High levels cause agitation. Either way a person taking zoloft should not be experiencing agitation as a normal side effect.


I'm still not clear on whether "high levels of dopamine cause agitation." I've done research and can find nothing in research that indicates this. I did, however, find evidence that high levels of norepinephrine very strongly with agitation in manic patients: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1876629


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## Amocholes (Nov 5, 2003)

*Knock off the arguing. If you can't come to an agreement on something then maybe you should just ignore each other.*


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