Do you become reliant on Lexapro or other antidepressants

[bpgagirl22]

My friend is taking Lexapro for depression and anxiety for almost 5 months and we recently have begun to wonder whether you can become reliant on it (like glasses, does it worsen and cause you to need it more as you take it?) I looked it up and I see that there are withdrawal symptoms (which she has experienced when missing doses) but nothing about becoming reliant on it. She has also experienced weight gain as a result of it. She wants to know whether taking antidepressants and Lexapro specifically consistently causes the original symptoms to worsen as you continue to take it, as well as whether there is something else that can do the same job without these symptoms as well as the withdrawal symptoms, because she doesn't want to go back to feeling the way she did before taking the Lexapro, but doesn't want to experience any long-term or generally difficult side-effects following coming off of the meds. Any answers from people with personal experience or people who know about the medication would be appreciated, and we already know about the withdrawal symptoms so we don't need anything listing that.Thanks! :-)

[wiz23]

Yes and they are actually depressants because they hide the reasons for depression the you become a victim not a warrior that is needed to beat depression.