OCD Zoloft

[Nana114]

My granddaughter has been on Zoloft since she was around 5 she is now almost 10.  She was having behavior problems and went to a psy. and her parents were told she has OCD.   She is doing wonderfully.  Listens and behaves very well.  My question is will she need to be on Zoloft as she gets older or will she be able to live a normal life dealing with her feelings?  I have OCD but learned to control it as I got older. Well they didn't call it OCD when I was a youngum, but that is what I had.   I am a Senior now on Paxil. Started having anxiety attacks and getting overwhelmed with some family illness.   Help?


This discussion is related to Should I switch my child from Paxil to Zoloft for selective mustism and anxiety?.

[jdtm]

I doubt if anyone will know the answer to your question as the answer will vary from person to person.  You might wish to post on the doctor/expert forum.

I belong to a support group for teachers and parents of children suffering from anxiety (OCD is one of the anxiety disorders).  In our group some of the children stopped taking their meds as they approached their teen years (most started taking meds from 5-7 years of age).  Some, as they deal with daily stress have had to resume their medications; others were unable to cope without their meds (extreme depression or suicidal tendencies was often the result).  A couple of the children have been off of their meds now for over  two years and so far, doing quite well (although not as well as they were on their medications).  

I think there is much more here than just "feelings"; I think those who suffer from severe anxiety also have a physical component in the brain which is lacking or "not working right" - some say an over-active amygdala; others too little serotonin and or dopamine; others feel the receptors in the brain are oversensitive, etc.  A psychologist whom I know once said "the right medication corrects you; it does not change you".  

Our granddaughter has been on SSRI's for over six years (she is now on Celexa) and also doing well.  Her parents have taken her off of the meds twice but both times were a disaster and did set her back socially (she suffers from severe social phobia).  We are thankful she has been able to find a treatment which allows her to be "normal" and to cope with her life.  There are far worse things.  I wish you the best ...