I was on this medication for a while about a year ago and it helped my mood and anxiety a lot. I felt a lot more chill and able to manage my emotions better (I have ADHD which makes that more difficult for me). I’m very sensitive to medications so I was only on 5mg, I believe. It personally made me a little more tired and increased my appetite. It was a good trade-off for me at the time but I ultimately decided not to take it anymore because I wanted to try managing my anxiety without meds.

Yes I've taken both Lexapro and Zoloft at different times. There are several different drugs in this category(SSRI), so if Lexapro doesn't work for you, there are plenty of other options you can try. For me the biggest side effect I experienced when starting each of these medications was decreased sex drive. It took about 2-3 months in the beginning where my body was still getting used to the meds before my normal sexual function returned. So if this happens to you, just be patient with yourself.

Yes, I'm currently taking Lexapro, which is very safe and arguably the SSRI with the best evidence for it and also tends to have few side effects, though of course everyone has a different experience. Personally it numbed out my emotions at too-high doses (20mg) but if you get any side effects you just adjust the dosage or change meds and it's no biggie. Nothing to be worried about! Congrats for seeking help and getting started on your antidepressant journey!! I'd also to add that research shows that antidepressants+therapy together is far and away more helpful than either of the two treatments alone. Like, doing them together has a multiplier effect that makes both of them work better!! So I'd definitely recommend starting therapy if you aren't already seeing a therapist! But if that seems difficult/expensive, studies have also shown that using a self-administered CBT workbook is nearly as effective as regular therapy for like 0.1% of the cost!! It's easy as going on Amazon and with a few clicks your workbook will be on its way :)