Does Lexapro help with Social Anxiety Disorder?
96765
YES!!!! It really does. I was on it, but my copay was too high so I stopped, but I can tell you it really, really did help. I felt like such a different person. \n\n(I think I'm going to go back to my doctor and get a new prescription now that I'm thinking of it. Hey, thanks for the question.)
758356
You may have social anxiety. If you are comfortable around friends and family, but have trouble talking when meeting new people and find yourself worried about being evaluated by others, you may want to look into it. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anxiety and see how many symptoms match your personality.\n\nIf you think this may be the problem, see your doctor. A psychologist or psychiatrist may not be necessary, as there are many Rx medications effective for treatment.
1002825
Yoga and bubble baths (not at the same time)  Sometimes medicines can help I was using Lexapro and that seemed to work.  But I quit to see if I could go without it.  And I'm doing all right.  Be careful that some anxiety/depression medicines can make your attitude flat or boring without you realizing it.
287654
very bad nausea, acid-ee throat\n\nthere's others, but this is what I had.  The warning label on the package lists about a million...\n\nGo to webmd and look up the drug lexapro and it should give you a complete answer
768520
I think that you have the right attitude, where the drugs alone won't solve your issues and to supliment your treatment with talk therapy.  Great job!\n\nI've taken a plethora of psychotropic drugs and the only drug I've had sexual side effects with was Straterra.  \n\nProzac falls into the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) category, where there are many others available.  Lexapro is the most selective antidepressant amongst the SSRI's because it works relatively quickly and has minimal side effects with simple titration.\n\nI've taken it for a while last year and it had absolutely no effect on my sex drive.  However, it's understood that people react differently to medications, where what may work for me, may not necesarrily work for you.  Lexapro is FDA approved for major depressive disorder.\n\nIn another experience; I was dating a girl who was experiencing decreased sex drive while taking Cymbalta.  Her Dr. prescribed her Wellbutrin to offset the sexual side effects.  Needless to say, it worked, as Wellbutrin is often prescribed to counter side effects of other drugs and has a side effect of, well, making you very horney.\n\nI hope this helps and good luck with your marriage and managing your depression.
706703
Social Anxiety..they make medications for it..see your doctor.
897573
I beg to differ quite strongly with the doctor who answered previously. Celexa and Lexapro are NOT the same medication, as my psychiatrist confirmed to me. If they were the same, the same company (Forest Laboratories) wouldn't be making them both! Forest bills Lexapro as "The next generation of Celexa," so that should also tell you something. See http://www.celexa.com/. The difference, as you've noticed, and as Forest advertises, is that Lexapro treats both depression AND generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Celexa only treats depression. If your insurance won't cover Lexapro, have your doctor submit a "prior auth" stating that Celexa was tried on you and doesn't work because of your GAD, and that should (hopefully) get your insurance company to OK Lexapro for you. [Your doctor's office should know how this prior auth business works to get an insurance override. They do it all the time; I heard this from my mother, who works in a psychiatrists' clinic.]
674636
My best girlfriend has this.She can't come to parties or any gatherings because of it.She has been seeing a psycologist and it helps her.Here is more info if you need it. \n\nWhat is social anxiety disorder?\n\nSocial anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is a psychological condition that causes an overwhelming fear of social situations that require interacting with or performing in front of others. It is different than being shy, introverted, or experiencing the normal anxiety before public speaking—the fear is that you will somehow embarrass yourself with what you say or do in public. Social anxiety disorder causes relentless fear, often beginning days or weeks before an event, and often triggers physical symptoms such as blushing, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty concentrating. Social anxiety disorder significantly impacts a person's daily life. It may even cause withdrawal from social activities and missed work or school. \n\nWhat causes social anxiety disorder?\nAlthough the exact cause of social anxiety is not known, it may run in families either as a genetic factor or as a learned response developed after experiencing a particularly humiliating situation.\n\nWhat are the symptoms of social anxiety disorder?\nSocial anxiety disorder has both emotional and physical symptoms. Emotionally, you may feel anxious, sad, irritable, and easily startled in anticipation of or during a social event. You may worry excessively or fear something bad is going to happen. This anxiety can cause physical symptoms, such as blushing, sweating, shakiness, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty concentrating.\n\nHow is social anxiety disorder diagnosed?\nSocial anxiety disorder is diagnosed based on your history of symptoms, a physical exam, and a mental health assessment, which involves an evaluation of psychological symptoms.\n\nBlood or urine tests may also be done to rule out other medical conditions that can cause similar symptoms (such as an overactive thyroid).\n\nHow is social anxiety disorder treated?\nTreatment of social anxiety disorder includes professional counseling and sometimes medications (such as antidepressants), depending on the degree to which your symptoms are impacting your daily life. Social anxiety disorder can be generalized—meaning you fear most social situations—or your fears may be limited to one or a few social situations. The more social fears you have, the more debilitating the condition, and the more difficult it can be to treat.\n\nSubstance abuse problems or depression often accompanies social anxiety disorder. When other psychological conditions occur with social anxiety disorder, additional treatment is needed for those conditions.
478964
Talk with your physician or psychiatrist, there are many new meds out there available to try.  You always want to give 3-4 months on a trial though, because it takes that long to get into your system and work, if it is going to.  There are Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Cymbalta, Symbayax, Effexor, to name a few.  Some have anti-anxiety properties too, so talk with your doctor and give them a try.  Best wishes =)
920023
I never thought I would meet anyone who is going through the exact same thing as me with the Lexapro. I  myself do not want to be dependent on this medication, but every time I try to weine myself off I experienced chaos. Lots of crying, depression, anger, headaches, rage etc... I prey you find a way out as I am trying as well. Good Luck!
237302
Q: What will happen if I drink alcohol while taking LEXAPRO?\n\nA: Studies show that LEXAPRO does not increase the cognitive and motor effects brought on by alcohol. However, alcohol may deepen depression. Therefore, the use of alcohol with patients taking LEXAPRO is not recommended.\n\n~*~\n\nRemember, alcohol is a depressent.  I would HIGHLY recommend not taking it.  My mom drinks alcohol and takes her anti-depressants, but the alcohol cancels out the lexapro.  Don't do it man...
818442
They are both anti-depressants geared for different reasons. Paxil is more for social anxiety; people who consider THEMSELVES to be socially awkward are generally given paxil. Zoloft is more the general anti-depressant, with less specialized reasons for taking it. It is a hot topic right now. \n\n  Before you do anything, get help! Psychiatrist can do wonders. Please, do this before you hurt yourself, please keep keep in mind that there are people out there who care about you and love you.\n\nGood luck
986308
Hello,  I have not taken cymbalta, but have tried a combination of anti-depression med and mood stabilizers for bipolar, Lexapro seems to work well, just dont stop taking it because it feels like someone is periodically shocking you with a stun gun, it's not that bad but you feel jolts. It helped with my depression ,the pain I constantly felt in my upper spine and shoulders and helped me to focus more and not feel so sad. Talk to your doc about it if you havent tried it yet. And if you want to know what my regimen is, you can email me.
859348
If you're in the Chicago area, try NAMI of Greater Chicago (www.namigc.org), or go to www.nami.org to find a NAMI affiliate in your area. There, they can direct you to support services, etc. \n\nAlso, have you tried support groups on WebMD? They include people from all over the country. It's a great way to hear what others have gone through and what's worked for them. Plus, it's online, so you don't have to go out in public :) \n\nPsychologists can also help, and may even direct you to a psychiatrist if he or she thinks you'd benefit from medication to reduce your social anxiety symptoms. \n\nHope this helps!
389974
Sounds like you might need to get some type of anti anxiety prescription meds.  Talk to your doctor about options and try to get something that isn't going to be a sedative.  Anti depressants seemed to work well for me without knocking me out cold.  Also, smoking pot might help but it is said that it can cause more anxiety in some people.  It did for me with my social anxiety.
401052
Lexapro is not indicated for OCD/GAD. Lexapro is an antidepressant and while it has been marketed for other mood disorders, the benefit in this area tends to be mixed at best. There is only 1 treatment that is considered the gold standard for OCD/GAD and that is cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) and technique known as response-prevention therapy. Please look for the work done by Edna Foa, Ph.D. (adults) or Eric Storch, Ph.D. (kids and teens). Also, you should try and see a doctoral level psychologist (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) who specializes in anxiety disorders. The benefit of CBT is it is short term (10 to 20 sessions, maybe less) and you will be either full recovered at then end or have minimal symptoms that are minimally intrusive. OCD with this treatment is 75% curable for most patients.
508846
Lexapro is in a class of antidepressants that enhance serotonin, a neurotransmitter that causes a person to be calmer and less worried, and when you stop this Rx a person's previous anxiety returns.