Zoloft® is linked with emotional blunting, severe restlessness/agitation, and destructive tendencies towards the self and others. Zoloft® is an SSRI that is commonly prescribed to treat depression, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and to manage the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Like most antidepressants, Zoloft® can exacerbate symptoms of existing depressive conditions, as well as worsen or elicit suicidal or homicidal tendencies. In twenty-four clinical studies, an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior was observed in children taking antidepressants. Because of these frightening statistics, the FDA ordered a black box warning to be added to the labels of all antidepressants marketed in the United States. The black box warning is considered to be the most serious form of warning on a medication’s label.

Severe restlessness and agitation (akathisia) that can lead to rash decision making is another potential side effect of taking Zoloft®. In 2001, teenaged Christopher Pittman brutally murdered his grandparents as they slept in their beds. Just two days earlier, his Zoloft® dosage was doubled.

Despite Zoloft’s obvious dangers, Pfizer allegedly markets the drug as a safe and effective treatment method for depression and other mental disorders, without indicating the drug’s potential to severely exacerbate symptoms and elicit mania and psychotic behavior.

Pfizer clearly banks on Zoloft’s reputation to carry the medication through the recent backlash against antidepressants, but the drug clearly carries heavy risks that are not always adequately disclosed.

If you or a loved one suffered as a result of taking Zoloft®, contact our Philadelphia area Zoloft® attorneys. Our Zoloft® lawyers at the Philadelphia-based Law Firm of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C. will assess your case and discuss your likelihood of recovering damages.