Tips for Managing Anxiety and Depression with Lexapro

Suffering from anxiety or depression is a part of daily life for some people. This usually occurs to those who have a stressful life or take unnecessary stress for small things also. Working and doing activities are a part of our lives, and if we think that stress is a task to win and go to the next step, half of our problems will be solved. But people are thinking of themself as a robot and want to cover a lot in a short time, and this ultimately leads them toward anxiety. However, several other factors also contribute to depression, like some bad past experiences or poor relationships. People dealing with social anxiety disorder, major depression, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have access to various treatment options, including therapy, antidepressant medications, or a combination of both. Lexapro, a commonly prescribed drug, can help manage symptoms of anxiety or depression. Let’s discover some ways to manage anxiety and depression effectively.

What is anxiety?

Occasional feelings of anxiety, such as fear, nervousness, and worry, are common and often arise in response to stressful situations. However, if these feelings persist or become severe on most days for several months, it may indicate the presence of a generalized anxiety disorder or another type of anxiety disorder.

What is depression?

Feeling sad or low or hopeless from time to time is okay, generally in difficult or odd situations. But if this lasts for more than 2 weeks, then it shows depression, mainly when positive events or changes in your environment do not show any impact on your mood.

The link between anxiety and depression

Depression and anxiety might seem different, but they are the most part. Anxiety involves excessive worry and fear, while depression is characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest. Both share symptoms like restlessness, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating.

In major cases, it is seen that chronic anxiety can lead to depression because the constant stress and fear impact mental and physical health. In a similar way, depression can trigger anxiety as feelings of hopelessness and low self-worth trigger anxious thoughts. The shared biological and environmental factors, such as genetics, brain chemistry, and stressful life events, further intertwine these conditions.

Managing both situations is interconnected and requires a complete process of treatment to break the chain and make people get back to recovery.

Lexapro overview

Lexapro, the brand name for the generic drug escitalopram, is an antidepressant medication used to treat certain mental health conditions. The FDA has approved Lexapro for the treatment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Common depressive symptoms in women may include pessimistic feelings, sad or anxious mood, slower speech or movement, fatigue, sleep disturbances, loss of interest in daily activities, and suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Typical anxiety symptoms may include uncontrollable thoughts, heart palpitations, numbness, excessive worry, and muscle tension. Lexapro, an antidepressant medication, can be prescribed off-label to treat conditions like social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Patients with panic disorder may experience sudden, unreasonable fear or anxiety. Lexapro belongs to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which work by increasing serotonin levels. It is a natural chemical that helps regulate mood and physical health.

Benefits of Lexapro for anxiety

Lexapro, an SSRI medication, can enhance mood and quality of life by increasing serotonin levels, leading to improved focus, emotional stability, and reduced symptoms of depression or anxiety. It is commonly prescribed for anxiety disorders and depression and is generally well-tolerated and effective. A study found that patients taking escitalopram, the active ingredient in Lexapro, showed greater improvement in panic disorder symptoms compared to those taking citalopram.

Managing depression and anxiety

For the management of both anxiety and depression, you need a therapist who can provide a better and more organized treatment option for you. Here are some ways that will help you manage the situation, but not always. But trying different ways will help you learn more about it. However, the best part of knowing these ways is you have the option to try when you feel distressed or overwhelmed. Here are some of the tested and trusted ways to manage anxiety and depression:

1. Allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling: We well know that anxiety and depression are mental health conditions and not the result of something else. And always remember the situation is not your fault. Some of the unwanted emotions can lead you towards destress, and you have no control over it. If you know that anxiety or depression is a result of underlying causes and triggers and not the result of something you did or didn’t. So, in such a situation, you can work on self-compassion without criticizing or punishing yourself.
2. You must do something you have control over: If you have control over your actions and work, you can perform better for sure. Controlling the moment will help you overwhelm the feelings and make it a little easier to work. However, you need not take any major action to achieve this. You have to accomplish a short task like bedtime, showering, or unloading the dishwasher. All these will help you boost your control and make you feel distracted temporarily.
3. A routine to maintain: A consistent daily routine or schedule can provide structure and a sense of control, potentially divesting feelings of anxiety and depression. Setting a schedule also allows for incorporating self-care practices that may further benefit one’s well-being.
4. Try a good and balanced diet: In some cases, hunger can trigger anxiety, as an empty stomach can easily impact your brain. Having a whole and balanced food can nourish not only your body but your brain, too. Eating foods that include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, a balanced amount of protein, and other nutrients will help you get the nutrition you need. It also improves your symptoms. However, foods like caffeine, processed foods, and refined sugars can worsen the signs of anxiety or depression. Also, you do not need to remove these foods entirely from your life; you have to use them in a balanced form.
5. Make time for exercise and rest: Your mental health condition can easily impact your energy level and motivation, which can result in the feeling of constant guilt and worry. Depression and anxiety are health conditions that require recovery time, just like other physical illnesses (flu). Instead of trying harder to fix things, you must try to work on the ways that can make your life better. Doing regular exercise and a good rest solves thousands of problems. Yes, when our body is tired, we can not work energetically, which can impact our work and make us feel stressed. You can include things like watching any comfortable TV show, re-reading your favorite books, spending your time with nature, cooking or baking, cuddling, etc, which can help you overcome anxiety. Also, performing breathing exercises, massage therapy, and yoga can improve your lifestyle.

Treatment

Managing the situation individually is easy, but the cooccurrence of depression and anxiety is a bit complicated. Even when you receive treatment for one condition, some symptoms may continue or appear to interact with others. For example:

You can not easily stop worrying about your life and the things happening in it, and you always think about the ways to overcome it. But have you ever thought about what these things and continuous thinking require? It’s your energy and the motivation you had. This situation is not under your control, and for this, you may need a mental health expert to guide you.

Your healthcare expert may prescribe Lexapro for your betterment, but if you use it with a combination of lifestyle changes, you can easily cure quickly. Here are some ways:

• Consistency: You must use the medicine exactly as prescribed by your physician, and the consistency will help you maintain stable levels in your body and enhance its effectiveness.
• Patience: Lexapro can take several weeks to show full benefits. Stay patient and keep your doctor informed about any changes in symptoms.
• Monitor the side effects: Common side effects include nausea, sleep disturbances, and fatigue. Report severe or persistent side effects to your doctor immediately.
• Therapy:  Some therapies, like CBT, including the other forms of counseling, can complement the effect of medicine. These are the highly suggested ways to manage anxiety and depression.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs: If you are using Lexapro, you need to avoid liquor and drugs as they can worsen the symptoms and show some side effects.
• Support network: A good support network, such as maintaining connections with family and friends or joining support groups to share your thoughts, is much better than keeping them with you and being isolated.
• Regular checkups: Regular appointments with your physician will help you manage and monitor your progress and adjust your treatment if necessary.

Conclusion

We have discussed several ways to overcome anxiety and depression. Antidepression medicine like Lexapro will help you at some point, but if you use them as suggested with the best lifestyle ways. Also, remember that the situation is not your choice, and you need to overcome it to make your life better.