How long does Lexapro take to work?

Lexapro (escitalopram) works in weeks, not days. The NHS says it can take several weeks until your symptoms start to improve; the full effect usually lands around 4 to 6 weeks. Your doctor may start you on a low dose and increase after a few weeks - that slows the onset but cuts the side effects, which is the right trade. Expect the awkward first phase: nausea, sleep changes, and sometimes a short-term rise in anxiety can show up before the benefit does, and most of that settles after a couple of weeks as your body adjusts. What working actually looks like, when it arrives: not euphoria - more like the volume on dread and low mood turning down, sleep improving, and ordinary days becoming manageable again. The rules: take it once a day at the same time, with or without food; swallow tablets whole with water (orodispersible ones dissolve on the tongue); do not judge it before a fair 4-to-6-week trial at a working dose; and never stop suddenly because you feel better - for depression, courses usually run 6 months or more after you improve, and stopping is a planned, gradual reduction over weeks or months. Worsening mood or self-harm thoughts early on mean call your doctor the same day. In crisis: call or text 988 in the US, or your local crisis line. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you through the waiting weeks.