If you have a condition where you need an SSRI like Zoloft, you'll probably be visiting the doctor a lot more frequently in the future. A good physician will evaluate whether you actually need this kind of medication, see if something else in your life can be improved so that you aren't just medicating to mask some more fundamental underlying issue, and then only prescribe medication as a last resort. In the US we have crappy healthcare, so many docs will just write you an Rx and let you deal with the consequences. A good doc will also slowly step up your dosage and see how you do with it. SSRIs are no joke. It's quite common for people to feel very ill, sometimes for a couple weeks, when they change their dosage (starting, increasing, decreasing, stopping). SSRIs are also not that effective for many people, and sometimes certain varieties work and others don't. You might get rotated through a few. And the side effects can be significant. So be prepared. If something in your life is causing you to feel interested in an SSRI, you should deal with the underlying issue. SSRIs can be helpful to deal with some things too. A good professional can help you with a plan for you. That person might be a psychiatric specialist, a therapist (who may not have prescribing privileges), or a generalist.