Last Updated on October 18, 2021 by
Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD
Lexapro Alternatives Therapies
Creating successful Lexapro® alternatives in a treatment plan may be enhanced by utilizing more than one therapy. For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy in combination with another therapy could be even more effective. Eliminating things that contribute to depression is also a good place to start, getting ample sleep every night is important, and eating a healthy and balanced diet, being physically active, and avoiding drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and other toxins. Even certain foods and food allergies can contribute to depression and other unwanted symptoms. Nutritional deficiencies can also contribute to depression. Other Lexapro substitutes include holistic and alternative medicine. There are some powerful natural remedies for depression that may provide workable alternatives to pharmaceutical prescription medications.
Natural Alternatives for Lexapro Include:
- CBT and other forms of counseling 13
- Neurotoxin removal 42
- Support a healthy microbiome for mental wellness 41
- St John’s Wort 16
- Omega-3 fatty acids 16
- Amino acids 15
- Testing for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, ie., vitamin B6 32,33
- 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) 29,31,40
- Acupuncture, massage therapies, meditation, yoga 4,17-21
- SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) 16
- Valerian 30
- Testing to reveal dysfunctional thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, hypothalamus, or other hormonal issues to address 33
- Exercise 34
- Vitamin D 35
- Exposure to sunlight36
- Forest bathing and mindfulness – studies show a significant positive correlation with physiological and psychological well-being 37
- Revamping the diet to omit fast foods, cakes, sweets, and processed foods. Instead, include fish, chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables, which showed a 41% decrease in depression in research studies.9,38
- Testing for food allergies that can induce psychiatric symptoms such as depression 34,39
Please continue reading about other alternatives to Lexapro that are discussed below, including psychotherapy and others.
*Studies done (Kofler et al.) show evidence that amino acids play an important role in treating and preventing depression.
Users of Lexapro (generic escitalopram) commonly seek out Lexapro alternatives to help eliminate the many associated problems with this antidepressant medication. This medication is classed as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and is prescribed to treat depression (major depression or clinical depression) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).10 Natural Lexapro alternatives are often sought after when drug side effects become too bothersome or if the medication is not adequately controlling the symptoms it is being used to treat.11 Among the alternatives to Lexapro are many therapies and alternative treatments. Other medications may be recommended as traditional Lexapro antidepressant alternatives whether antidepressants or antipsychotic medications but substitute drugs are very likely to cause any or all of the same problems as Lexapro.12
Counseling, psychotherapy, talk therapy, life coaching, and other forms of therapy greatly help people with depression or GAD who are seeking natural Lexapro alternatives.13 Therapy can be all that it takes to alleviate depression for some people, especially acute treatment of mild to moderate depression. Various forms of psychotherapy including short-term therapy (10-20 weeks) allow patients to gain insight and resolve their depression through a verbal exchange. The therapist will often assign homework to work on between sessions. Behavioral therapists focus on helping patients to learn how they can obtain more satisfaction from their own actions and how they can unlearn behavioral patterns that are contributing to or resulting from their depression.
Therapeutic Interventions
Individuals are often given Lexapro and other antidepressants prior to any investigation into why they are suffering from depression.6 The low-serotonin theory has limited diagnostic value and has never been substantiated, according to research published in the Journal of World Psychiatry. 23 There are many other factors contributing to depression that could have been checked. What about looking for environmental neurotoxins that destroy energy metabolism? 5 What about food allergies in which internal swelling may cause a slow metabolism? 24 Were these tested? Thyroid, adrenal, pituitary and other hormonal issues may also be well worth investigating.25 And so on. Even in the common instance of an individual not ever being low-serotonin in the first place, the medication itself can cause downregulation to develop.26 SSRI meds block the reuptake of serotonin, and serotonin is supposed for reuptake to be used again by the nerve cell. When serotonin is forced into the synapse it can cause receptors like the presynaptic 5-HT1a serotonergic receptors and the postsynaptic 5-HT2 serotonergic receptors to become less sensitive to the effects of serotonin.26
When a person stops taking Lexapro they may encounter 
