For those struggling with depression, there are several new medications available, including things like Spravato and Lexapro. Lexapro is an antidepressant used for both major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. It can be prescribed off-label for things like:
- PTSD
- OCD
- Eating Disorders
- Social Phobia
- Panic Disorder
- PMDD
Common side effects of Lexapro include things like:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea
Most of these improve after the first week or two. More serious potential side effects, the less likely include things like a risk of bleeding events, serotonin syndrome, low sodium blood levels, and teeth grinding.
So, is Lexapro an addictive medication? Addiction is not listed as one of the potential or rare side effects; however, there is a risk of psychological addiction.
Is Lexapro an Addictive Medication? The Science of SSRIs
Lexapro is an SSRI, which is the most common form of antidepressant. This means it is designed to regulate the amount of Serotonin in your brain to ensure better mood and emotional stability.
Under normal circumstances the brain produces things like Serotonin at specified amounts and then reabsorbs that Serotonin with regularity. For those who struggle with things like depression or anxiety disorders, the brain may not produce adequate amounts of Serotonin, so things like SSRIs can prevent the brain from reabsorbing Serotonin immediately after it’s been released.
This means it gets to linger much longer in the brain and while it’s lingering, provides better emotional stability and better mood.
Scientifically, this is not a drug that can cause a high or be abused in a way that creates an addiction.
Is Lexapro an Addictive Medication? The Science of Psychological Addiction
While Lexapro does not have risks of physical addiction, there are risks that those who are prescribed Lexapro for depression or off-label purposes can experience a psychological addiction if they are dependent and stop taking their medication suddenly.
This can lead to withdrawal symptoms that mimic a physical addiction.
Under normal circumstances, someone who is prescribed Lexapro but is discontinuing it will be gradually weaned from the medication over the span of one or two weeks before stopping entirely. People who have developed psychological dependence and suddenly stop can experience things like:
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Brain zaps
A psychological addiction comes in the form of individuals who have grown psychologically dependent on something, using it as their main source or crutch for things like improved mood and better emotional stability. Someone who has taken Lexapro for an extended length of time might be under the incorrect impression that they cannot function without it.
It is normal for someone who is discontinuing a medication to have a week or two where things have to adjust within the brain in the body. However, someone who believes that they cannot function without Lexapro will experience those issues with things like irritability, mood swings, or anxiety and believe that they can’t function without it rather than that those symptoms are a normal part of the body adjusting.
Getting Help for Addiction with Sequoia Recovery Centers
If you are struggling with an underlying mental health disorder like depression or anxiety, and you are also dealing with psychological dependence on Lexapro, we can provide the right type of dual diagnosis treatment to facilitate a healthy recovery and symptom management.
At our treatment center, we offer several levels of care across the continuum of care so that you can start with the most intense level of care if necessary and step down toward lower levels of care, like our flexible partial hospitalization program, as you progress in your treatment. With things like cognitive behavioral therapy, we can help you learn how to identify triggers of depression or anxiety symptoms and manage them in a healthier way that doesn’t require long-term dependence on something that could be physically or psychologically addictive.
Overall, people who are dealing with depression or anxiety have a range of SSRIs that can be prescribed, among them Lexapro. Is Lexapro an addictive medication? Not physically, but anything can be psychologically addictive. If you need help, reach out to our team today.
Call Sequoia Recovery Center at 1-866-824-0709 to learn more about treatment for addiction.