Avoidance & Anxiety..should I take the Lexapro?

[johnnyky]

Hi I have severe avoidance and anxiety especially when it comes to unknown situations and people. I was prescribed 10mg Lexapro by my GP to take once a day. But I'm scared to take it :( It probably would help me, because currently I'm unemployed and have been for a long time, and constantly trapped in my head by obessive bad thoughts. And I lack motivation and social skills. Should I take the Lexapro? I'm so scared of side effects. I take .5mg Xanax as needed but it doesn't scare me as much because I keep hearing horror stories about ssri's. I also have heart palpitations and have to take a beta blocker for those. My docs tell me to take the Lexapro. Should I? Has it helped free anyone else from anxiety?

[johnnyky]

Thanks I guess I'll try the Lexapro what's the worst that could happen right? Does your acquaintance have any side effects? You said she takes 5mg 3 times a week, but I thought you have to take it every day? I'm prescribed 10mg a day I'll probably start with 5mg and see how I do then maybe increase.

What I'm hoping is that it helps rid me of my fear of what others think, and so I can get outside the house & hold a job of some kind, without giving me a bunch of nasty side effects. I'm pretty sensitive to psychiatric meds, so I'm hoping it will work. Just taking the first step of actually taking the pill is what is so daunting. I don't rely on Xanax, but it helps a lot with sudden panic attacks or helping me sleep when I need it.

I'm going to see my GP again in a week and I still haven't started Lexapro, I guess I need to start it and at least try it.

[Paxiled]

Just want to say, panic attacks don't always come with heart palpitations -- in fact most don't probably.  Different people get widely differing symptoms.  The only common factor is irrational fear leading to avoidance.

[Snail123]

I would suggest some Therapy. Also, i do know for a fact that Lexapro is very helpful. The 10 mg is a very low dosage and also, you can try first cutting it in half and trying just a 5 mg dosage. Panic Attacks come with heart palpitations, in fact it is almost one of the first things you feel. I have dealt with panic disorder since i was a little girl. learned at an older age what it was, too terrified to tell anyone.  Panic Attacks do not just happen, that is a myth. There is always a reason. Panic itself is fear. Panic Attacks are a Fear of Fear, meaning...Fearful thoughts. You will never have a Panic Attack about something happy. Next time you feel one coming on please try to stop your thinking process, this does take practice. If you have one, please take the time out to remember exactly what were you thinking about at the time it came on. our mind is never empty, we are always thinking.  Someone very close to me is taking Lexapro 10 mg and it has done wonders. she did not want to leave the house, afraid to go to school, and was becoming recluse, I was not happy to put her on Lexapro, but i knew all to well what panic Attacks can do to a person. I also took her to Therapy so that she could get professional advice, and not just have my experience. As of today she takes the Laxapro cut in half, to 5mg 3 times a week. She has no Panic attacks anymore.. Please understand Therapy is very important to find out why they even came about. For now, i would give lexapro a try. it is far better than Valium, or Xanax.. Please keep me informed..i wish you well..Been there,,,

[Paxiled]

Have you tried therapy, especially CBT, yet?  Learned any relaxation or coping techniques?  While Lexapro might well help you, it won't cure you, and while therapy might not either, it seems you should give it a try unless your life is so disrupted you can't function.  You can always try the Lexapro if the therapy doesn't work, it isn't going anywhere.  If you do take the drug, you should still try therapy to see if you can't learn to cope.  In short, yes, Lexapro might help, might not, but the only cure is if you are one of the lucky ones that can learn to think differently.