Does Lexapro cause lack of motivation?

Any "head med" can affect different patients in different ways. I take Lexapro because it is treats both my depression and my anxiety. "Lack of motivation" is a symptom of depression. In your particular case, it sounds like Lexapro is working for your anxiety, but it is no longer fully controlling your depression. You definitely need to contact your Psy-doc about this. He/she may increase your dosage of Lexapro, add another med that is more effective for depression, or take you off of Lexapro in favor of another drug.

Everybody should have a talk with their doctor before making a decision like stopping the medication, especially stopping abruptly. It's not a poison or something to be afraid of. More often than not this type of problem can be addressed by dosage adjustments or switching to another medication. There's no reason to suffer needlessly for months and even years before getting professional advice.
If you don't find that your doctor is sympathetic take control and find a new doctor.
Wildcat

I’m age 69 and have been taking generic Lexapro for 3 months. It has helped with my overthinking, worry, and anxiety but I feel so unmotivated. All I do is lay around all day long. I don’t want to do anything else. It takes a lot for me to push myself to go outside. The doctor that prescribed it wants to see me again next month to see if it continues. I don’t like feeling this way.

Lexapro is a anti depressant. These medications will slow down the central nervous system. Different people react differently to these meds. I was on it and did very well. Maybe ask your doctor and try another type.

I have been on Lexapro for +/- 9 months, my anxiety is gone but i don't have motivation to study anymore. before, i had the best grades of me class on college. not only that, I'm not able to continue my research (lack of interest), though I truly know that engineering is my passion - but is not enough to put me in a chair and make me study 1 hour straight anymore.

I just wanted to add my experience.

I started Lexapro at the beginning of Sept, 2021. I got Covid at the same time. Since then, I've had this horrible lack of motivation. I don't care if my house is messy (when a messy house was the biggest cause of my anxiety before), and all I do is sit and write. At least I still have a passion for that I guess?

But I blamed all of this on Covid that kept me down for the count for a week. Thought maybe it was just a lingering thing. It's now almost April, 2022, and I'm done. I can't keep just... not caring. Sure, it eased my anxiety and my paranoia about having a messy house, and it's even helping my agoraphobia. I actually have the desire to leave my house, which I didn't have before. But at what cost?

I'm just going to see if I can get on something else that doesn't screw up my motivation. It really sucks because I love Lexapro. I love how it's helped.

Hi, I am 17 years old and I was prescribed Lexapro 10mg a few weeks ago. I was prescribed for my general anxiety disorder but lately i have felt less anxiety but less motivation to do things. Its also like I don't have anxiety about school work so now i don't care if I don't work.

I was at 5mg and went up to 10mg. My anxiety had gone away but I felt pretty numb to everything. Lack of work motivation. Lack of gym work. Lack of feeling, honestly. It's horrible.

I quit the medicine cold turkey. I'm scared of getting the anxiety again, but I'd rather have that and have the desire to enjoy life than just robot on until I die.

I'm not sure if it's a placebo, but I'm feeling so much more motivated now. I love being able to worry again. I fear for life again. It's nice.

I have been taking Lexapro for longer and recently went from 10 mg to 20. I also find that it makes me lazy. Has improve my sleep and my anxiety but I’m wondering sometimes if it is too successful in dealing with my anxiety as I also get that blah feeling that you described and don’t enjoy life as much as I used to.

Hi I have been on lexapro 3 weeks for anxiety, started increasing to 7.5 mg with goal of 10 mg last week. I think I’m feeling a little less anxious but I’m feeling really down now and not motivated to do anything. I’m not sure if I should continue it or stop.

Absolutely! I’ve been on it for 12 years. Tried and tried to get off of it. I finally did. I’m not sure why it worked this time but it did. This was the hardest drug for my to wean off. Strange... so unmotivated, did nothing and ate. I have fibromyalgia so I felt it was that. Couldn’t remember anything. I was on 10 mgs. Went to 5 mgs for a week and I feel great! May be a fluke... it’s only been a few days

I cant answer this question, but ive been on Lexapro, about three months. Definitely, helped with the anxiety, I dont really care what people think, about me. I dont have the same repetitive, negative thoughts. But I completely loss my sex drive, and motivation to do anything. I cant even work sometime, and I dont know why. Its a chore, to get into the shower, or do laundry, or anything. I just stopped taking it, two days ago. Dont know whats next, but I could lose my job, and my relationships, behind this.