# Escitalopram (Lexapro)

6 Hacker News commenters recommended Escitalopram (Lexapro) and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for helping them function and get through depression. Critics report sexual side effects, nausea, vivid dreams and, in one case, emotional blunting.

## Why people recommend it

- Helps get through depression (3 comments): "I'm not sure if I'd be actually functional or even be here if it weren't for these meds." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49477341)) "If he is really in a heavy depression, he should be on Escitalopram." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48926783)) "It got me through a rough patch" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49472521))
- Makes daily life better (2 comments): "I'm not sure if I'd be actually functional or even be here if it weren't for these meds." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49477341)) "It has made my life so much better, and that of a lot of friends, too." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46816030))

## What people warn about

- Nausea, paranoia and vivid dreams (2 comments): "my ideation kicked into 6th gear, with paranoia, nausea, and insanely intense and vivid dreams every night" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49476075)) "bupronion has less scary side effects than e.g. escalitopram" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49475793))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Ketamine](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ketamine.md): 12 recommend
- [Prozac](https://hackerapproved.com/p/prozac.md): 12 recommend
- [Bupropion](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bupropion.md): 12 recommend
- [Lexapro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lexapro.md): 8 recommend
- [Fluoxetine](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fluoxetine.md): 6 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Escitalopram (Lexapro)", https://hackerapproved.com/p/escitalopram/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).