Tapering Off Lexapro: How It Works and How to Make It Easier
Coming off Lexapro goes best slowly, in shrinking steps, with your prescriber. Here is how tapering works, what research says about pace and what people on r/lexapro who tapered describe.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-10-23 · 5 min read
Medical review pending. Written by the Claro editorial team from the FDA label and published studies.
Key takeaways Lexapro is usually tapered in shrinking steps, and the last stretch to zero is often the slowest part. A 2019 Lancet Psychiatry review on SSRIs explains why: brain scans show the drug's effect is not linear with the dose, so equal cuts hit harder near zero. In 82 r/lexapro threads about tapering, anxiety, brain zaps, nausea and headaches were the symptoms people mentioned most. Of 62 people on r/lexapro who said how they came off, 33 tapered over a month or more, and 18 stopped all at once. On this page
How do you taper off Lexapro? What 136 people on r/lexapro said about tapering How long does it take to taper off Lexapro? What should you plan with your prescriber before tapering? What should you do if tapering symptoms get bad? Is it withdrawal or is my depression coming back? Tapering off Lexapro (escitalopram) means lowering the dose gradually instead of stopping at once. The FDA label recommends a gradual reduction whenever possible. How slowly depends on how you feel at each step, and your prescriber sets the pace with you.
How do you taper off Lexapro? Clinical section: medical review pending
The reason for small final steps is how the drug works on the brain. Brain scans show that the share of serotonin transporters escitalopram and other SSRIs block does not fall in a straight line with the dose. At high doses, a cut changes little; at low doses, the same cut in milligrams changes a lot. Shrinking steps keep each change to the brain about the same size. The clinical view:
Antidepressants are usually tapered in shrinking steps, at a pace set by how you feel.
Each step is usually a proportion of the current dose rather than a fixed amount. That makes the last stretch, from a low dose to zero, the slowest part. It is also where people most often need extra time.
A plan written at the start is a draft. If symptoms appear, a step can be held longer or partly reversed. Some people taper over a few weeks, others over many months.
Small doses can be hard to get from standard tablets. A pharmacist can tell you whether a liquid form, a lower-strength tablet or splitting is an option for your medication.
Taking a dose every other day is not a way to taper. With most antidepressants it causes daily ups and downs that bring withdrawal symptoms on.
What 136 people on r/lexapro said about tapering
Anxiety was the symptom people named most while tapering, then brain zaps, nausea and headaches. People who struggle are more likely to post, and many threads were from people mid-taper, so these numbers show what tapering can look like, not how it will go for you. We read 82 recent threads about tapering off Lexapro on r/lexapro, comments included, and 136 people described lowering or stopping it themselves.
Of the 136, 75 named symptoms they had along the way, and 11 more said they had none or barely any. One person can name several:
Symptoms people described Of 75 people Anxiety or panic 25 Brain zaps 17 Nausea or flu-like feelings 16 Headaches 16 Dizziness 11 Low mood or crying 11 Tiredness 8
For some people, an attempt ends with going back on Lexapro. That is not a failure; it is a reason to plan a slower pace with your prescriber. Of the 90 who said where they ended up, 22 were back on Lexapro and 14 were off but still struggling:
Where people were Of 90 people Still tapering 38 Back on Lexapro 22 Off and doing well 16 Off but still struggling 14
Coming off was not only about symptoms. One person on r/lexapro, two months after tapering off, wrote:
I have noticed some improvements since stopping Lexapro: I’m not as sweaty, and sexual feeling is back.
How long does it take to taper off Lexapro?
It varies from a few weeks to many months. Of 62 people on r/lexapro who said how they came off, 33 tapered over a month or more, 11 over less than a month and 18 stopped all at once. A 2019 Lancet Psychiatry review on tapering SSRIs gathered studies showing that short tapers of two to four weeks, common in guidelines, bring little benefit over stopping at once. The authors propose tapers over months, down to much smaller doses before stopping. That proposal comes from brain-scan data, not from trials of the schedule itself.
Go more slowly if you have been on an antidepressant for a long time or had withdrawal before, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says. Plan for the final, smallest steps to take the longest.
The same principles apply to other antidepressants, as set out in a guide to tapering off antidepressants safely .
What should you plan with your prescriber before tapering?
Agree on the plan before the first cut: the pace, what to watch for and what to do if symptoms appear. A written plan makes it easier to pause without feeling you have failed. It helps to discuss:
How long you have been on Lexapro, and your current dose. Any past attempts to stop, and what happened. How you will get small doses for the last steps, such as a liquid or lower-strength tablets. Which symptoms mean pause, and which mean call the same day. A time when life is calmer, away from exams, moves or big deadlines. A lower dose is a dose change. The FDA label's Medication Guide says antidepressants raise the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in people 24 and younger, especially in the first months and when the dose is changed. If you are in that age group, agree with your prescriber how often you will check in during the taper, and let someone close to you know what to watch for.
What should you do if tapering symptoms get bad?
Don't push on with the plan alone; contact the person who prescribed it. The FDA label says that if symptoms are hard to bear after a dose cut, going back to the previous dose may be considered, and the taper can then continue more slowly. Your prescriber makes that call with you.
If tapering brings thoughts of suicide or self-harm, get help right away: call your prescriber or someone close to you, or in the US call or text 988; elsewhere, find a crisis line near you .
The symptoms themselves are described in Lexapro withdrawal side effects . To check whether a symptom is common after stopping an SSRI, try the withdrawal symptom checker .
Is it withdrawal or is my depression coming back?
Look at timing and the kind of symptom. Withdrawal starts within days of a cut and often eases within days of going back to the previous dose, which helps tell it apart. It also tends to bring physical symptoms such as brain zaps or dizziness, while depression returning builds more slowly, over weeks. Note each symptom and the date of each cut.
Withdrawal is common but not universal. A 2024 review of 79 studies with 21,002 people found discontinuation symptoms in 31% after stopping an antidepressant, against 17% after stopping a placebo. The authors estimate that about one in six to seven people get symptoms from the antidepressant, and in randomized trials the gap over placebo was 8 percentage points. Escitalopram was among the drugs linked to more frequent symptoms.
Open the escitalopram taper calculator A slower taper in shrinking steps lowers the risk of brain zaps, dizziness and mood swings. The free escitalopram taper calculator builds a draft plan to review with your prescriber. No account needed.
Frequently asked questions Can you taper off Lexapro in two weeks? Some people do, but a 2019 Lancet Psychiatry review found tapers that short bring little benefit over stopping at once. If you have to stop quickly, for example because of a hard side effect, tell your prescriber why: they can choose the fastest safe pace for you and agree with you which symptoms mean you should call.
How long does Lexapro stay in your system? Escitalopram has a half-life of about 27 to 32 hours, according to the FDA label, so it takes several days to clear. Withdrawal symptoms often start within a few days of a cut. Note when they begin and tell your prescriber.
Should you come off Lexapro once you feel better? Feeling better is a good reason to talk about stopping, not to stop on your own. Many prescribers suggest staying on treatment for a while after you recover. Plan the timing together.
Is it normal to feel anxious while tapering Lexapro? Yes, anxiety is one of the most common symptoms during a taper. It can be withdrawal or a sign that the original anxiety is returning. Track when it started after each cut and share it with your prescriber.
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Sources LEXAPRO (escitalopram) prescribing information, US Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed, revised April 2024 Horowitz MA, Taylor D. Tapering of SSRI treatment to mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Lancet Psychiatry, 2019 Royal College of Psychiatrists. Stopping antidepressants Henssler J, et al. Incidence of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry, 2024 NHS. Common questions about escitalopram 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline r/lexapro: Any success stories of coming off Lexapro properly? r/lexapro: Started the taper off. r/lexapro: Tapering off 20mg help r/lexapro: Seeking guidance, or just conversation about tapering off of lexapro r/lexapro: Tapering Off Lexapro After 18 Months, Anxiety Is Coming Back r/lexapro: Asked to add Wellbutrin; my psych made me come off Lexapro Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).