Lexapro made a huge difference for me. Much more than exercise, meditation, counseling, or journaling. I have tried to come off it a few times and each time it's kind of a disaster.
It did wonders for me as well, the side effects after some prolonged use were less than stellar. The good news was I was in a much better headspace, doc put me on Wellbutrin in addition to the and I was able to taper off the lexapro over 3 months. Now, I am only taking a generic form of bupropion and generic dextromethorphan(cold medicine) together and it is a total game changer.
Yes I was on this in the first year of my anxiety but for me it didn't really help. But I know for others it's been extremely helpful. Glad it worked well for you!
Is this more of a performance anxiety issue, e.g. more in the moment or anticipating a situation than a generally constant feeling? If so, propranolol might be useful on off-label on as as-needed basis as a way to diminish the physical symptoms enough to get you "over the hump" in any particular episode.
You might (discuss with your care provider, disclaimers, etc) try an SNRI. I'd tried SSRIs multiple times and never saw an improvement. I've also been on various dosages and formulations of stimulant medication for ADHD and did not see unambiguous positive changes. I've been on Effexor for a shade under a month, and while it started off a little eh, with nausea and some mild unpleasant mental symptoms, I feel like it's unlocked the person I was meant to be. I hope it continues to work as well as this, because I feel like it's the most powerful change I've ever experienced in my life.
