Doctor explains 'frightening' side effect of coming off sertraline that nobody talks about

A doctor has opened up about one of the 'frightening' side effects of a common type of mental health medication.

Sertraline is a medication frequently prescribed for mental health conditions including depression, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, and social anxiety disorder, according to the NHS.

It's a type of drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI, which effectively increases the amount of serotonin in your body.

This can work to manage a condition by helping someone have a more normal level of serotonin.

However, sertraline does also have some side effects like many medications.

These can include a reduced libido, weight gain, dizziness, and trouble with sleep.

But a doctor has also explained about how side effects can impact someone when they come off the medication.

Sertraline can be very effective in treating depression (Alina Barilo/Getty)

Dr Nikita Amin is a psychologist, and explained the science behind why coming off sertraline can lead to one unsettling side effect for some people.

Side effects happen when someone comes off the drug because their body has to revert to the levels of serotonin it had before.

This means that it can be a bad idea to come off a high dose in one go, and instead someone who is stopping should be managed.

Because sertraline can cause trouble sleeping, coming off it can result in a patient having unsettling and vivid dreams, known as 'REM rebound'.

Dr Amin told Metro: "Sertraline works on neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Suddenly reducing these levels forces your brain to try and rebalance itself."

So that can mean you get some vivid and even disturbing dreams when you come off the medication, though Dr Amin stressed that it 'differs from person to person'.

Some dreams can feel very real and intense (Klaus Vedfelt/Getty)

Nonetheless, on average she said that they tend to be at their most intense for a period of around four and 14 days after someone stops taking sertraline.

She said: "They can last for a few weeks. During this time, the brain is trying to adjust to the new levels of sertraline in the body.

"Within three to six weeks symptoms tend to subside."

But while having an intense dream can be unpleasant, Dr Amin explained that this isn't necessarily always the case.

"Vivid dreams can be blissful," she said. "But due to the intensity of them, they can cause confusion upon waking as they feel very real."

She added: "Vivid dreams will only become nightmares when they evoke a negative emotion such as fear, anxiety, distress. But they can range from delightful to unsettling."

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.