My nightmare experience with Lexapro (21M)
Hey everyone, I saw some similar stories here and wanted to share mine. (Written by chatgpt because of my poor english)
I started taking Lexapro (10mg) in 2023 when I was in high school. I was under massive stress preparing for my secondary certification exams and thought SSRIs would help manage my anxiety and depression.
At first, it seemed like a miracle. For about three months, I felt great. But then the side effects hit hard:
* Significant weight gain
* Sexual dysfunction
* Terrible memory issues
* Sleeping all day
* Emotional blunting
* Akathisia (that unbearable inner restlessness)
I decided I’d had enough and wanted to quit. My psychiatrist assured me it wasn’t addictive, so I stopped. Big mistake. Withdrawal was hell—brain zaps, severe mood swings, and intense discomfort. Honestly, compared to this withdrawal, actual addictive drugs seem like angels. Some research even suggests it can cause permanent brain changes.
Now, I’m a third-year medical student, but I can barely focus for five minutes at a time due to the akathisia and memory issues. It’s devastating because I used to be top of my class in high school. Now, I’m struggling to keep up with my colleagues and getting poor grades.
I know people will suggest trying a different medication or adjusting the dosage, but my mind is made up. To me, these are just harsh chemicals that all work in similar ways, and the risk isn't worth it. I don’t know if I’ll ever fully recover, but this has been the worst experience of my life.
Based on my trial, I cannot recommend Lexapro to anyone. But maybe everyone is different.