Supposedly the first month or so of starting antidepressants or increasing your dose are supposed to be difficult as your body acclimatises to it, then things get better.

Actually I love that feeling and it's exactly what I'm after. It's the only time I feel like I'm working on an upwards trajectory towards really feeling better.

I've restarted sertraline three times over the last 6 years and everytime it happens or I increase my dose everything is great for about a month, then stops working entirely and I'm just left with side effects.

I'd feel restless to the point where my usual habits of endlessly browsing internet trash or gaming feel incredibly boring and I'd much rather take a shower, go for a walk or something. I feel like social interactions matter again, the apathy is gone, and even though I'm technically generally 'more anxious', the things that make me anxious become things I'm happy to face head on and anxiety becomes less of a barrier.

Anyone know what's going on in the brain in terms of neurochemistry when you start an antidepressant or increase the dose? I've heard horror stories that people tend to have an awful experience starting them before seeing any gains and I just can't relate. I want to maximise whatever that feeling is. That's the feeling I want to get out of this shit.