Best Time to Take Lexapro for Anxiety

Lexapro is a popular medicine for the treatment of anxiety and depression.

More about Lexapro

1. Lexapro is the brand name of Escitalopram.
2. It is an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) class of medication.
3. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of anxiety and depression.
4. It is used to treat specifically Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
5. It is also helpful in panic disorders and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
6. It works by increasing the serotonin levels in our brains.
7. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and happiness.
8. Its mood-enhancing property makes this ideal for anxiety and depression treatment.
9. Drowsiness, dizziness, and constipation are common side effects of this medicine.
10. Serious side effects include fainting, dark stools, and seizures. If observed, immediately report your healthcare provider.

Lexapro and Anxiety

Lexapro is an approved medicine for the treatment of anxiety and depression.

This is a front-line medication for the treatment of anxiety.

Studies also confirm its role in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

It is also effective for:

• Panic disorder
• Social anxiety
• Depression- which can be a potential cause of anxiety disorder

It comes with fewer side effects which makes this medicine a better choice for anxiety over others.

How Lexapro Works for Anxiety?

Lexapro belongs to the SSRIs class of medicines.

SSRI medicines are known to increase serotonin levels in the brain.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter* in our brain that regulates mood, appetite, emotional balance, and happiness.

Normally, our body’s serotonin is reabsorbed or reuptake by our body cells through a natural process.

Lexapro blocks or inhibits this reabsorption process of serotonin to increase its levels in our body.

During anxiety, our body prepares for a fight-or-flight condition that increases the adrenaline and cortisol hormones in our body, and serotonin levels decrease.

This increase in adrenaline increases our heart rate and blood pressure prepares our body for dangerous situations. However, there are no actual dangerous situations, it’s just an outcome of anxiety disorder.

Cortisol also causes headaches, fatigue, and irritation.

High blood pressure, increased heart rate, headache, and fatigue are the symptoms of anxiety.

Serotonin gives calmness and soothing in our bodies which reduces anxiety and its symptoms.

The study also confirms the direct connection between serotonin and cortisol: the higher the serotonin levels, the lower the cortisol levels.

*Neurotransmitters are chemicals in our nervous system that carry the messages for body functions.

How Fast Lexapro Takes to Work for Anxiety?

• Generally, it takes around 2-3 weeks to be completely effective.
• One can start feeling its benefits within three days of starting the medicine

Side Effects of Lexapro

Like every medication, Lexapro also has some side effects.

Following are some common side effects that are tolerable and usually go away after some time of medication.

• Drowsiness
• Lack of sleep
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Irregular bowel movement
• Heartburn
• Lack of sexual desire
• Difficulty in orgasm
• Constipation
• Weight irregularities

Some serious side effects: (To be reported immediately)

• Abdominal pain
• Hot flashes
• Blurred Vision
• Chest Pain
• Seizures
• Suicidal thoughts
• Allergy reaction
• Abnormal bleeding

What should you avoid while taking Lexapro?

• Avoid taking with MAO (monoamine oxidase) such as Zyvox (linezolid), Nardil (phenelzine), Eldepryl, and Parnate (Selegiline), methylene blue injection.
• Wait for a minimum of 14 days before or after a course of MAO inhibitors before starting this medication.
• Avoid alcohol with Lexapro as it may increase drowsiness.
• Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any serious side effects, and if common side effects persist for a longer period.

Other Methods to be Combine with Lexapro to Shorten the Anxiety Recovery

One can also add other methods for fast recovery of anxiety disorder. These can be added with ongoing anxiety medication.

These methods are completely natural and can effectively reduce anxiety. They help to recover the anxiety naturally and at a faster pace.

With the help of these natural methods, one can reduce a year of medication to months and six months reduced to 3-4 month

One can add any one or two of these methods according to their choice and available resources.

1.  Therapy

Therapies are the best way to treat certain phobias and social anxiety. They change one’s thought process and create mental and emotional balance in the body.

Your doctor can also suggest therapies according to the condition. One can also choose to take therapy on their own.

There are two famous therapies for the anxiety treatment:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a famous therapy for treating Generalized anxiety disorder or other type of anxiety disorder. It works by treating the root causes of anxiety. This therapy has two parts:

Cognitive Therapy: This therapy corrects emotions related to unpleasant memories, stress conditions, and other factors that can be triggers for anxiety.

Behavior Therapy: This therapy changes one’s reaction to stressful conditions and to learn to take them easily.

• Exposure Therapy

This therapy is best for people with phobias and social anxiety issues. This helps to increase the control of stressful situations.

This is about facing the objects and situations one may fear. This is done by imagining such situations and changing the reactions to such situations.

2.  Meditation

• For centuries, meditation has been the tool to balance one’s mind and emotions. It increases the focus and helps to control emotions.
• Meditation calms the excited mind from stress and worries which helps to reduce anxiety and control over emotions.
• It can be performed alone without the help of a therapist or specialist. But, one can also enroll in clubs that conduct meditation sessions.

3.  Exercise

• Exercise could be a very potential tool to deal with anxiety issues and it also has other physical health benefits too.

• Exercise causes our body to produce serotonin. The same serotonin is produced by the SSRI medicines.
• So, exercise also helps in reducing anxiety.
• A 45-minute vigorous exercise of any form will give positive results for reducing anxiety and shorten the recovery time.

4.  Yoga

• One can replace the exercise with yoga. Yoga is an ancient technique for managing the overall health of an individual.
• Yoga can be performed within the home and can be done at any time according to comfort.
• Yoga is a kind of breathing exercise with different postures. Due to this, it is very beneficial in treating anxiety.

Conclusion

Lexapro is an FDA-approved medicine to treat anxiety and depression. It’s an SSRI class of medication that increases the serotonin levels in the brain to cure anxiety. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the mood, emotions, appetite, and happiness of an individual.

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