Lexapro is a treatment for both depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults. As a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), Lexapro helps restore the brain's chemical balance by increasing the available supply of serotonin, a substance in the brain believed to influence mood. More than 20 million American adults suffer from depression¹ and 6.8 million American adults suffer from GAD².

1 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Depression. Available at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm. Accessed March 6, 2007.
2 Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.