u/Hail_Ivan

I've been on sertraline for 5 weeks now, for the first time in my life. I started with 25mg the first week and then increased to 50mg. I'm in my 20s. (Srry for my English, Im not a native speaker).

I started because of severe anxiety, depression, and irritability. I'm a functional person, but sometimes problems overwhelm me, and the fast pace of my life causes me a lot of stress. I'm very sensitive to weather and lack of sun light, and I live in a very small place that gets messy very quickly, which makes me feel desperate. I hate chaos and Im very strict with the maintainance of my physique (gym, clothes, hair, hygiene, ALL), because thats the only thing that doesn't make me go crazy.

I have childhood trauma related to abuse and discrimination (a past suicide attempt), and a lack of close social relationships due to lack of time, in addition to a very difficult family situation. I've never been a happy person, and I'm also gifted, so going to a psychologist wasn't very effective. All of this led me to start antidepressants. However, I'm a very rational person with no sudden emotional swings, and I'm very, very, very aware of everything that is around me.

Since I started, I've had the typical side effects: extreme sleepiness, intense fatigue, vivid nightmares, some days of emotional numbness, teeth grinding, very dry mouth, occasional nervousness, and occasional anxiety.

These symptoms have gradually subsided, although I still feel some persistent tiredness. Lately, I've been waking up earlier than usual, about an hour before. I fall asleep relatively easily, although I've always had trouble sleeping, but I've never experienced this before.

One thing I should mention as well is libido changes. I’ve noticed a significant decrease in libido overall (Im a super kinky person). I don’t really think about masturbation anymore or feel that usual drive to do it daily like before (which Im not sure if was partly anxiety driven). However I can still feel sexual arousal when Im with someone, and I don't have any issues with sexual performance during actual sex. That said I find it much harder to reach orgasm, but when I do it is extremely intense, very physical, and long lasting.

The thing is about two weeks ago I met someone quite casually. Nothing too deep has happened yet. We've become somewhat friends and have had sex about three times, but that’s it. However, since meeting him, I've been experiencing something that honestly surprises me a lot.

I feel an extremely intense level of romantic attraction and emotional attachment, much more sudden and stronger than anything I’ve experienced before. It’s not necessarily that I want to be in a committed relationship right now, because rationally I know we don't really know each other yet, but emotionally I feel very strongly drawn to him.

I constantly think about him, I want to see him, kiss him for hours, hug him, look into his eyes… I cannot stop talking about him and when I kiss him I feel extremely passionate about it. I find him extremely attractive, and the emotional intensity is so strong that it sometimes even moves me to the point of almost crying because of how beautiful and overwhelming it feels. When I think about him my whole body reacts and desires him.

At the same time, I don’t think I’m in a hypomanic episode, I don’t have other symptoms like impulsivity, risky behavior, or anything like that. I just feel generally happier, more expressive, more socially open, and a bit more energized than usual, although I still have some anxiety present.

Also, I should add that I've never in my life felt such intense romantic attachment this quickly, nor have I ever felt such a strong desire for human closeness and emotional connection so suddenly. Well, I had a relationship in the past, and I felt super in love with him too, but it was not so fast, it was more rational but extremely intense in the peak of the relationship, and when we broke up it was super difficult for me getting over it (I cannot think too much about it, I still love him so much haha)

My question is whether anyone else has experienced something similar with sertraline or other SSRIs: changes in emotional intensity, very strong romantic attachment, or a shift like this in emotional sexual experience.

I've been on sertraline for 5 weeks now, for the first time in my life. I started with 25mg the first week and then increased to 50mg. I'm in my 20s. (Srry for my English, Im not a native speaker).

I started because of severe anxiety, depression, and irritability. I'm a functional person, but sometimes problems overwhelm me, and the fast pace of my life causes me a lot of stress. I'm very sensitive to weather and lack of sun light, and I live in a very small place that gets messy very quickly, which makes me feel desperate. I hate chaos and Im very strict with the maintainance of my physique (gym, clothes, hair, hygiene, ALL), because thats the only thing that doesn't make me go crazy.

I have childhood trauma related to abuse and discrimination (a past suicide attempt), and a lack of close social relationships due to lack of time, in addition to a very difficult family situation. I've never been a happy person, and I'm also gifted, so going to a psychologist wasn't very effective. All of this led me to start antidepressants. However, I'm a very rational person with no sudden emotional swings, and I'm very, very, very aware of everything that is around me.

Since I started, I've had the typical side effects: extreme sleepiness, intense fatigue, vivid nightmares, some days of emotional numbness, teeth grinding, very dry mouth, occasional nervousness, and occasional anxiety.

These symptoms have gradually subsided, although I still feel some persistent tiredness. Lately, I've been waking up earlier than usual, about an hour before. I fall asleep relatively easily, although I've always had trouble sleeping, but I've never experienced this before.

One thing I should mention as well is libido changes. I’ve noticed a significant decrease in libido overall (Im a super kinky person). I don’t really think about masturbation anymore or feel that usual drive to do it daily like before (which Im not sure if was partly anxiety driven). However I can still feel sexual arousal when Im with someone, and I don't have any issues with sexual performance during actual sex. That said I find it much harder to reach orgasm, but when I do it is extremely intense, very physical, and long lasting.

The thing is about two weeks ago I met someone quite casually. Nothing too deep has happened yet. We've become somewhat friends and have had sex about three times, but that’s it. However, since meeting him, I've been experiencing something that honestly surprises me a lot.

I feel an extremely intense level of romantic attraction and emotional attachment, much more sudden and stronger than anything I’ve experienced before. It’s not necessarily that I want to be in a committed relationship right now, because rationally I know we don't really know each other yet, but emotionally I feel very strongly drawn to him.

I constantly think about him, I want to see him, kiss him for hours, hug him, look into his eyes… I cannot stop talking about him and when I kiss him I feel extremely passionate about it. I find him extremely attractive, and the emotional intensity is so strong that it sometimes even moves me to the point of almost crying because of how beautiful and overwhelming it feels. When I think about him my whole body reacts and desires him.

At the same time, I don’t think I’m in a hypomanic episode, I don’t have other symptoms like impulsivity, risky behavior, or anything like that. I just feel generally happier, more expressive, more socially open, and a bit more energized than usual, although I still have some anxiety present.

Also, I should add that I've never in my life felt such intense romantic attachment this quickly, nor have I ever felt such a strong desire for human closeness and emotional connection so suddenly. Well, I had a relationship in the past, and I felt super in love with him too, but it was not so fast, it was more rational but extremely intense in the peak of the relationship, and when we broke up it was super difficult for me getting over it (I cannot think too much about it, I still love him so much haha)

My question is whether anyone else has experienced something similar with sertraline or other SSRIs: changes in emotional intensity, very strong romantic attachment, or a shift like this in emotional sexual experience.