Lexapro For Kids: Unsafe, Ineffective, Approved Anyway with Psych RN David Wayne
“Safe and effective.”
Those words sound reassuring—but what if they don’t tell the whole story?
On this episode of The Gaslit Truth Podcast, I sit down with psych nurse David Wayne (Describe Health on X) to examine the clinical trial data behind Lexapro (escitalopram) for pediatric anxiety and ask a question parents deserve answered:
What does “works” actually mean if a child doesn’t truly feel better?
This episode is deeply personal for me.
I was a teenager when I was first prescribed Lexapro. At the time, my parents trusted that I was being given something safe and helpful. I never imagined that 25 years later, I would be spending three years carefully tapering off the medication and navigating the horrific and dangerous reality of what that process can involve.
My experience has changed the way I look at psychiatric medications AND the failures of “research.” It has made me ask harder questions about informed consent, long-term effects, withdrawal, and whether patients are truly being given the full picture before they start.
David and I break down the Strawn et al. trial that helped support “safe and effective” Lexapro use in children and adolescents, including how anxiety is measured, why statistical significance doesn’t equal meaningful improvement, and how the magic math behind research shapes the way the public understands medication benefits.
We discuss suicidality signals reported in the trial data, including higher rates in the Lexapro group compared to placebo, and why adverse reactions like activation syndrome—which can resemble extreme restlessness or akathisia—deserve more attention. We talk TRUTH about Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), and why many patients feel dismissed when they report life-altering symptoms after taking antidepressants.
This conversation isn’t about telling people what choices they should make.
It’s about asking better questions.
It’s about informed consent.
AND it’s about making sure patients and families understand the full picture before making decisions that can impact their lives for years.
Because a prescription isn’t just a treatment decision.
It’s a life decision. One for me that’s spanned 25 years.
