Posts in category: Dating Tips, Guide and Advice

Whether you absolutely love your job or feel there’s room for improvement, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to build rewarding workplace relationships. Cultivating these positive connections instantly builds a more supportive and collaborative environment, can boost job satisfaction, and generally foster a better work experience. 

A “work wife” or “work husband” is potentially one way to do this, but there are some considerations to keep in mind about these relationships. So what is a work spouse, how do you know if you’ve got one, and what internal and external boundaries should you establish?

What Is a Work Spouse?

Work spouses are platonic friendships with a coworker with whom you have a strong and trusting bond. These relationships generally have a sense of emotional safety, there is mutual respect, as well as a trust that allows for disclosure. 

“These relationships can take time to develop, but also might seem to happen naturally,” explains Michele Goldman, PsyD, psychologist and advisor for the Hope for Depression Research Foundation. “There’s a ‘click’ that occurs between work spouses, sometimes formed because of being in a similar field, but then expands to other areas of interest and similarity.” 

Though we often associate a work spouse as being an “opposite gender,” that doesn’t have to be the case. This person is usually someone who works at the same place, but a work wife or husband could also be someone who’s simply in your same field of work.

Benefits of a Work Spouse 

Having a work spouse comes with loads of benefits. Here are some of the key ways this relationship can benefit you and your career. 

Increases Work Support

Whether they offer emotional comfort on a difficult day, send words of encouragement, offer personal advice, or validate your venting, work spouses can provide a great deal of day-to-day support, Goldman says. 

Lightens the Environment

“Having a close connection at work can provide a sense of mutual camaraderie and lighten a serious work environment, especially if you share private jokes with them,” says Nicholette Leanza, LPCC-S, therapist at LifeStance Health. This is a boon to your mental health, as well. Science tells us that friendships contribute to our life satisfaction and can even help us manage stress.

Puts a Friend in Your Corner

Having a work spouse may also help you feel less lonely or isolated in your workplace. Having this person in your corner means that you have someone who can vouch for your hard work or have your back on a hard day. 

Boosts Collaboration

You can bounce ideas off one another, which helps nurture collaboration. “You may be more willing to accept constructive feedback from a work spouse as well which can even improve your job performance,” Leanza adds. They can also introduce you to colleagues or figure out how to approach specific problems at work. Research has found that collaborative dynamics often lead to more efficient and effective output.

Validates Your Experience

People outside of work can try to be a good sounding board for us, but a work spouse understands the nuances of your workplace dynamic, including, personalities of bosses and systemic barriers, notes Goldman.

25 Signs You Have a Work Wife or Husband

So how do you know if you have a work spouse? If any of the following sounds familiar then you either have built this relationship or you’re on your way to doing so.

1. You message each other all day long.
2. You share inside jokes about work and life.
3. They’re the person you go to when anything goes wrong at work.
4. They’re the first colleague you share good news with.
5. You’re familiar with each others’ quirks or habits.
6. They’ll defend you in an instant.
7. You’ve got their back, too.
8. You bring each other coffee or snacks during the day. 
9. You like to bounce ideas off each other.
10. You exchange knowing glances from across the room.
11. They’re quick to offer an ear when you need to vent.
12. You help each other through tricky work obstacles.
13. You understand and respect each other’s workload, challenges, and responsibilities.
14. You’re kind of bummed when they’re out of office.
15. You trust their judgment and respect their opinion.
16. They know your career goals and aspirations.
17. You can disagree with each other and it’s not a big deal.
18. You appreciate their feedback and gentle criticisms.
19. You know each other’s food, drink, and work preferences.
20. You grab lunch together or happy hour when work gets out early.
21. They’ll help pick up the slack when you’re having a bad day, and vice versa.
22. Your real spouses and friends/family know your work spouse.
23. You cover for each other when one is MIA.
24. You always sit next to each other in meetings.
25. Your other colleagues wonder where the other’s at when you’re not together.

Tips on Navigating a Work Spouse Relationship

These are potentially difficult relationships to navigate, largely because of how emotionally connected two people may feel with how often you see each other and how entwined your lives are. That said, it’s important to create boundaries and a level of transparency between you both and your respective partners (if applicable). 

Tell Your Romantic Partner About Them

“If you have a romantic partner, tell them about your work spouse and introduce your work spouse to your romantic partner,” Goldman suggests. “Tell your romantic partner parts of the conversations you’re having with your work spouse to include them in the relationships. This reduces the likelihood of jealousy and secrecy.” 

Keep Certain Aspects of Your Personal Life Private

In the same vein, you should not disclose private or intimate details about your romantic relationship with your work spouse, nor should they be a sounding board for venting about your relationship. Goldman says you can process something about a conversation or disagreement with a partner, but to do this as a means of working through an issue to bring you closer to your romantic partner. 

Some other ways you can ensure this relationship stays healthy is to keep certain topics off the table, limit contact once you’re home for the day, and to include other coworkers in your time together to avoid colleagues from perceiving a cliquish work environment.

Fostering your workplace friendships is one of the best ways to improve job satisfaction and keep you motivated at work. Keep boundaries firm and lean into each other as needed.

Keep in Mind

If you don’t have close work friends or a work spouse, it’s okay to start small. Knowing and feeling closer to a few people has a more positive effect than having superficial relationships with many.

If there is a colleague you respect, like, or admire but don’t know well, you can ask a work-appropriate personal question the next time you see them, or you can check in with a coworker if it seems like they might be having a rough day. You could also call a colleague to brainstorm ideas, ask someone for feedback on something you are working on, and check in with them on how they are doing and if there’s anything they need support with.

Developing and deepening your workplace friendships is a wonderful way to improve job satisfaction, reduce stress, boost productivity, increase engagement, and keep you motivated at work. Positive social connections and interactions in the workplace are important for mental and emotional health and wellness. Keep boundaries clear and support each other as needed.

Inclusion is the practice of including and accommodating people who often face discrimination and exclusion due to race, gender, ability, sexuality, or identity. In light of the current racial climate, many settings are becoming increasingly aware of their lack of diversity and representation. Such organizations have failed to represent people of all backgrounds, genders, etc. This has left the most oppressed folx feeling undervalued, ignored, erased, etc.

Defining Inclusion

Inclusion refers to “the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability).”

While many organizations pride themselves on inclusion efforts, the reality is that the most oppressed people are often the ones with the greatest awareness of how much more work needs to be done in this regard. In fact, the most marginalized folx can help to show just how much an organization may lack inclusion and diversity.

Diversity vs. Inclusion

Despite often being used interchangeably, the terms diversity and inclusion indicate different efforts. Diversity efforts can often be focused on representation while inclusion practices tend to be more about how to help groups feel as if they belong.

In other words, inclusion involves more than just making sure that people are represented in a group. Instead, it refers to how diversity is utilized to create healthy, fair, and equitable spaces that help people to feel included and respected.

What Inclusion Looks Like In Different Environments

The practice of inclusivity can look different in various settings. Let’s look at how we can promote and foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace and within the educational system.

Inclusivity In the Workplace

In their 2014 book, Diversity at Work, Bernardo M. Ferdman and Barbara R. Deane describe the practice of inclusion as key to investing in diversity at work. Ferdman and Deane have engaged in education, writing, and speaking on diversity and inclusion, especially as it pertains to leadership within organizations.

As with most important initiatives, inclusion requires a great deal of investment to come to fruition.

Inclusivity In Educational Systems

Educational systems are designed for dominant groups. For example, U.S. schools are designed for English-language speakers. Experts notes that while teaching English language is not a new concept, but it may require more transformational approaches to ensure that all groups are truly included. Small-scale efforts may not result in true inclusion.

In other words, it can be helpful to understand how educational systems were designed with the needs of the dominant groups in mind (i.e., those who are cisgender, straight, able-bodied, etc.) so they may need to be revolutionized. It means thinking critically about the ways in which learning spaces may fail to meet the needs of folx who are BlPOC, LGBTQIAP+, etc.

What Organizing Inclusion Means

From the preface of their 2020 book, Organizing Inclusion: Moving Diversity From Demographics To Communication Processes, authors Doerfel and Gibbs name the institutional biases of white supremacy, sexism, settler colonialism, homophobia, etc. which have contributed to inequitable outcomes within groups, organizations, and society itself.

In doing so, they make the case for why organizations must communicate differently if they are invested in inclusion efforts given how much of the status quo poses barriers.

In their work, these authors encourage communication that identifies the forces of oppression that can be insidious and require targeted efforts to combat.

Technology Also Presents Challenges

Technology inclusion can present challenges with some groups who may lack experience, training, and access to digital resources. For example, one study looked at the challenges and benefits of digital technology for seniors alongside its policy implications. It demonstrated how some individuals who were once included required additional outreach efforts to ensure accessibility, as all seniors did not necessarily learn how to make use of technological advances.

In this way, it is easy to see how a group may require additional considerations to maintain inclusion as they age while technology evolves beyond their typical use.

Folx With Disabilities Deserve Inclusion

Unfortunately, evidence suggests that inclusion efforts often fail to focus on people with disabilities. This is unfortunate because disabled folx are often sorely underrepresented in the workforce.

Researchers suggest that certain approaches can be helpful for increasing inclusion and addressing this equity gap. These include:

• Diversity and inclusion statements
• Employee resource groups
• Supplier diversity initiatives
• Targeted hiring and recruitment plans

With such evidence-based actions for the inclusion of folx with disabilities, organizations can take tangible steps to diversify their workforce.

For far too long, folx with disabilities have had to bear the burden of ableism at all levels of society.

If organizations are interested in inclusion, they could learn a great deal from BIPOC disability justice activists like Alice Wong, Vilissa Thompson, Imani Barbarin, and Sarah Jama.

Understanding the Need For Inclusion

While it can feel daunting to become more aware of all the ways in which society fails at inclusion of the most oppressed groups, that ability to recognize such gaps can be a big part of taking action.

Just as the problematic status quo was developed over a long period of time, investing in inclusion will take a great deal of work, but it is well worth the effort.

Active Inclusion

To get meaningul responses about what needs to change, organizations need to start by asking the right questions. This includes recognizing and understanding that BIPOC and LGBTQPIA+ folx have often been left out of such discussions.

Experts suggest that such efforts are unlikely to succeed unless they are enforced from the top of the organization all the way through.

Gathering and Incorporating Feedback From Marginalized Groups

When it comes to inclusion work, folx often do not yet know what they do not know. It is common for people who come from backgrounds of privilege to have had a limited understanding of the ways in which systems that may have worked effectively for them have actually been rigged against communities that are BIPOC, LGBTQIAP+, disabled, undocumented, etc.

In fact, it may be well worth assuming that your initial efforts at inclusion may not go as planned, and yet failed attempts only require accountability and greater investment.

All too often, the appearance of progress is prioritized over actual strides with inclusion work.

If you find yourself getting frustrated, that does not mean that the effort in which you are engaging is problematic. In fact, even when inclusion efforts are efficient, they may not necessarily be well-received, especially by groups who view such work as a threat to historical ongoing power systems from which they may still benefit.

What You Can Do to Promote Inclusion

Here’s some ways in which you can help to promote inclusion in your daily life:

• Ask yourself which marginalized folx may not feel welcome in a space, and make an effort to change that.
• Identify the barriers to inclusion to those in leadership positions when it is safe to do so to address them.
• Assess how much privilege you have and how much space you hold and amplify more oppressed voices.

Keep in Mind

As you have probably gathered, it would be impossible to explain all that inclusion is in one article, but hopefully, these insights have helped to inform your understanding of this practice, as well as the need for it.

Every setting you encounter may be one in which you have an opportunity to promote inclusion. If you have the capacity to do so, that effort could benefit the lives of those who may not otherwise have access to those spaces.

While many believe that bullying only happens throughout childhood, it doesn’t always stop once we grow up. In fact, almost one in three adult Americans report being bullied, with 43% feeling that adult bullying has become a more acceptable behavior. Making it an unacceptable behavior is important since bullying can have damaging effects—even for those doing the bullying.

Here we clarify what an adult bully is and the different types. We also share the mental health effects of adult bullying, followed by ways to deal with bullying as a victim, bystander, or even as a perpetrator who wants to stop engaging in this harmful behavior.

What Constitutes an Adult Bully?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines bullying as “a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort.” Just like children and teenagers can be bullies, so can adults.

An adult bully can regularly make the victim of their actions feel oppressed, belittled, humiliated, or de-energized. Some of the behaviors that they engage in include:

• Invasion of the other person’s personal space
• Personal insults
• Public shaming
• Ridiculing jokes
• Threats
• Unwanted personal contact

Harassment vs. Bullying 

The terms ‘bullying’ and ‘harassment’ are often used interchangeably when talking about hurtful or destructive behavior. This is understandable since they both involve:

• Power and control
• Acts that intentionally hurt or harm another person 
• An imbalance of power between the victim and the perpetrator 
• The target having trouble stopping the action directed toward them

However, the difference between the two is that when these behaviors are based on a protected status (race, color, religion, age, etc.), it is harassment. Harassment involves inappropriate conduct that becomes a condition of employment or creates a hostile, abusive, or intimidating workplace.

Types of Adult Bullies

There are numerous different types of adult bullies, some of which include:

• Tangible/material bully: These types of bullies use their formal power, such as when in a position as a boss or manager. Or, they have some sort of authority or control over the other person’s finances and use it to intimidate others.
• Verbal bully: A verbal bully shames and insults the other person with their words. Often, they offer constant criticism or engage in cruel teasing. Sometimes the language used by this type of bully is sexist, racist, homophobic, or threatening.
• Passive-aggressive bully: While not always considered a bully, this type is the most cunning in some ways because they act amicable on the outside but then take unexpected swings. They also engage in gossip, sarcasm, and hurtful jokes. They may roll their eyes, make rude facial expressions, and ridicule their victims by mimicking. They might also isolate their targets, causing them to feel anxious and insecure.
• Cyberbully: This person bullies their victims through a computer, cell phone, or other electronic device. Cyberbullying is a significant problem for teens, especially LGBTQ teens and those who are White or multi-racial. Regardless, anyone can be a victim of emails, text messages, and social media posts designed to bully them. 
• Physical bully: Physical bullies can exhibit a range of behaviors, from simulating violence by raising their fists as if about to strike to throwing and breaking objects to violent acts of physical, domestic, and sexual abuse.

Mental Health Effects of Bullying

Bullying can affect our mental health short and long term. Both victims and perpetrators of bullying face:

Adult bullying can have harmful effects on bystanders as well. One study found that people who witness bullying tend to have more psychological symptoms. They also have less life satisfaction.

How to Deal with Adult Bullying

Strategies for dealing with adult bullying vary depending on whether we are the victim, bystander, or the perpetrator.

As a Victim

There are a few things victims of adult bullying can do to protect themselves:

• Decide when to respond. If the behavior is not excessive or harmful and contact with the bully is infrequent (such as only at yearly family gatherings), it may be possible to just avoid the other person. Because of the amount of time it can take to handle bullying behavior in many cases, picking one’s battles if it isn’t directly harmful may be the best option. 
• Make eye contact. Eye contact can be significant, as bullies have less empathy when they can’t see your face or eyes. Having strong eye contact is also a sign of greater self-confidence, which can reduce the likelihood of being bullied in the first place because it makes us a less desirable target.
• Escape if possible. If being bullied at work, for instance, we might ask to move our desks further away from the bully or limit our interactions with them whenever possible. If that fails, we may consider going one step further and ask to switch to another position in the organization, if one is available and desirable.
• Document the offenses. Document every single offense and keep those records for as long as possible. They may be needed later to file a complaint at work or, in some cases, a police report if the bully’s actions become emotionally or physically damaging.

As a Bystander

There are several things that, as bystanders to adult bullying, we can do:

• Question the behavior of the bully to shift the focus of the interaction.
• Utilize humor to redirect the conversation.
• Since there is strength in numbers, bystanders can intervene as a group to demonstrate their disagreement with bullying.
• Walk with the victim of the bullying to help diffuse potential interactions.
• Check in privately with the bullied person to let them know that we disagree with the other person’s actions and that we care.

As a Perpetrator

In many cases, people who bully have had a traumatic childhood and/or regularly endured domestic violence, physical abuse, or other forms of abuse. Dealing with the effects of this trauma or violence can help reduce bullying behaviors.

Psychotherapy is one option for healing emotional trauma or reducing traumatic stress. A mental health professional can help us find healthy ways to cope with the experiences we’ve endured, enabling us to not take our hurts out on others.

Self-care is also important after experiencing traumatic events. This includes:

Getting Help for Adult Bullying

Dealing with a bully can take a toll in various ways. Help exists for its effects, whether those effects are physical, mental, or both.

For physical consequences of being bullied, like experiencing sleep issues or having pain conditions triggered by elevated stress, a primary care provider can help. To cope with the mental effects of bullying, consider working with a mental health professional.

It’s also beneficial to utilize our support network. Find support from co-workers, friends, or family. Sometimes the best way to buffer the impact a bully has on us is to reach out to others in our life, giving our feelings a voice and having our emotions validated. 

Lexapro is the trademark name for the generic drug escitalopram, an antidepressant medication. Like Zoloft (sertraline), it is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that was introduced in the late 1980s. Available in pill or liquid form, it’s prescribed to treat a variety of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

SSRIs like Lexapro are generally effective and have fewer side effects than older antidepressants, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). They also lack the addictive potential of Xanax (alprozolam) and other benzodiazepines.

Uses of Lexapro

Escitalopram, the generic form of Lexapro, is primarily used to treat depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Initially, it was used only to treat depression, but research has shown that it is effective for treating both mood disorders and anxiety disorders.

A doctor may prescribe Lexapro for other uses if they believe it might be of benefit. For example, they might prescribe Lexapro for conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and even migraines.

How Lexapro Works

Scientists are still learning how Lexapro works, but there is a general neurological understanding.

According to an article in the journal National Library of Medicine, “SSRIs exert their mechanism of action by binding to the sodium-dependent serotonin transporter protein (SERT) in the presynaptic neuron. SERT is responsible for reuptaking serotonin from the synaptic cleft into the presynaptic neuron. Inactivation of SERT by escitalopram leads to an elevation in synaptic serotonin levels.”

In other words, Lexapro helps raise or balance serotonin levels in the brain, which can reduce anxiety and enhance mood. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, and other functions.

Before Taking Lexapro

Lexapro is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorder, depressive disorders, and other mood disorders, sometimes in combination with other medications. Therefore, you generally need a mental health diagnosis before a doctor prescribes Lexapro for you.

Your primary care physician can write a prescription for Lexapro. But a mental health professional can prescribe medications and handle other your treatment needs, such as by combining medication with psychotherapy.

Prior to starting Lexapro for anxiety or depression, tell your doctor if you are allergic or hypersensitive to escitalopram or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also alert your doctor if you have a history of any of these medical conditions, which may be exacerbated by Lexapro:

Tell your doctor about all medications, supplements, and vitamins that you currently take. While some drugs pose minor interaction risks, others may cause outright harm or prompt more careful consideration as to whether the pros of treatment outweigh the cons in your case.

Precautions and Contradictions for Lexapro

There are many precautions involved when taking Lexapro. You can reduce your risks by being aware of who should not take this medication and understanding the black box warning.

Who Should Not Take Lexapro

Lexapro is not safe for everyone. Certain people should either not take Lexapro at all or take it with caution, including:

• People with escitalopram allergies: You should not take Lexapro if you’re hypersensitive to escitalopram oxalate. This means that you have a known allergy to the medication and experience symptoms of allergic reaction when taking it, such as difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, mouth, or tongue.
• Children: The safety and effectiveness of Lexapro for children under 12 years of age have not been well-established. Some smaller studies have found that this drug may be helpful for young children with anxiety disorders, and with minimal side effects, but more research is needed to know for sure.
• People who are pregnant or breastfeeding: Use Lexapro with caution if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, as the medication can be passed to your child. The FDA also reports that SSRIs taken after the 20th week of pregnancy have been found to increase the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in infants by six times. Your doctor should discuss this with you; if not, be sure to ask about potential risks.
• Older adults: Side effects of this medication can be more severe in older adults, such as by causing blood sodium levels to lower to dangerous levels. Your doctor should monitor your dose and adjust as necessary to reduce the severity of its effects.

Lexapro Black Box Warning

A boxed warning, also referred to as a black box warning, is the strictest warning for prescription drugs. It is issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help draw consumers’ attention to serious or life-threatening risks of taking that medication.

Lexapro has a black box warning as taking it can result in an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors—particularly in children, adolescents, and young adults. Close monitoring by your psychiatrist or doctor is important when taking Lexapro, particularly if you are a younger person.

Lexapro Dosage

Lexapro tablets are available in 5 milligram (mg), 10mg, and 20mg strengths. The 10mg and 20mg tablets are scored and can be cut in half. The oral solution comes in a strength of 1 mg per milliliter (mL).

The usual recommended daily dosage of Lexapro is 10mg, but you may begin at a lower dose that is increased slowly if needed. The manufacturer recommended doses for Lexapro based on condition and age are:

• Major depressive disorder, ages 12 to 18: 10mg per day; can increase dosage to 20mg per day after three weeks if necessary
• Major depressive disorder, over age 18: 10mg per day; can increase dosage to 20mg per day after one week if necessary
• Generalized anxiety disorder, adults only: 10mg per day; can increase dosage to 20mg per day after one week if necessary

If you are experiencing your first episode of depression or anxiety, you may take Lexapro for a defined period—such as between six months and one year. For individuals with a chronic mental health condition, it may be necessary to take Lexapro for an extended period (over many years).

Modifications

Dosage modifications may be required in people with severe kidney impairment. Your doctor can provide guidance in these situations to help you take this drug safely.

How to Take and Store Lexapro

Taking and storing Lexapro properly helps keep the medication both safe and effective. Lexapro is typically taken as a tablet or oral solution once daily, in the morning or evening, with or without food.

If you miss a dose, take your prescribed dose as soon as you remember unless it is very close to your next dose. In that case, take your regular dose instead. Never take two or more doses of Lexapro at the same time.

Doses higher than 20 mg are not approved by the FDA. Staying within the recommended dose helps to reduce the risk of side effects or adverse reactions.

It’s important to recognize that you will not experience immediate relief from taking Lexapro. It can take anywhere from one to four weeks to feel better once you start taking this drug.

You might notice improvements in your sleep, energy levels, and appetite within the first week or two. But you may not experience the full benefits of the medication until you’ve been following a recommended treatment plan for a couple of months.

Storage

Lexapro should be stored at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Do not store it in the bathroom. If you’re traveling with Lexapro, be sure to carry your medication in its original packaging in your carry-on luggage and have your prescription with you.

Lexapro Side Effects

Lexapro is generally well-tolerated and effective. As your body adjusts to taking the medication, the side effects should gradually go away.

If you notice that side effects are getting worse or interfering with your quality of life, talk to your doctor. Side effects can be minimized by carefully following the dosage directions given by your doctor and reporting any negative effects.

Common

The most common side effects of Lexapro or escitalopram are:

Severe

Seek immediate help if you experience any of the following unusual but severe side effects of Lexapro:

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling of the face, mouth, or tongue
• Fever
• Stiff muscles
• Fast heartbeat
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Rash
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors

Lexapro Warnings and Interactions

Caution should be used when taking Lexapro along with other medications. The following serotonergic medications should not be used at all or only with significant caution and close monitoring when combined with Lexapro due to the increased risk of serotonin syndrome:

Other drugs that can negatively interact with Lexapro include blood thinners; taking NSAIDs, aspirin, and warfarin can increase the risk of bleeding in people taking Lexapro. While rare, there have been reports of people developing a life-threatening reaction after combining escitalopram with linezolid, a drug used to treat infections like pneumonia.

To help avoid any possible drug interactions, let your doctor know about any other prescription and over-the-counter medications you are currently taking. Avoid drinking alcohol when taking Lexapro as well since it can reduce the effectiveness of the medication and also may increase its toxicity.

Discontinuing Lexapro Use

You should only discontinue taking Lexapro under the guidance of your doctor at an appropriate time—such as when symptoms have been stable for a certain period. Your doctor will help you to taper off the medication to minimize any withdrawal effects.

If you stop taking escitalopram suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, including:

• Dizziness
• Muscle tension 
• Chills
• Confusion
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble remembering things
• Crying

If you are discontinuing Lexapro to try another SSRI, it is recommended that your dosage be reduced over a 4-week period when making the switch.

Keep in Mind

This overview of the use of Lexapro for mental health conditions does not cover every possible outcome of taking this medication. If you have been prescribed this medication, be sure to follow the instructions carefully. If you have additional questions, speak to a healthcare provider.