Understanding Medications for Anxiety Disorder
When treating anxiety, many psychiatrists reach for benzodiazepines, a class of anti-anxiety drugs. These drugs include Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). However, options for treatment include drugs not originally created for anxiety relief.
Certain classes of antidepressants are also prescribed to treat anxiety, though they were initially designed to treat depression. Antidepressants are different from anti-anxiety drugs in many ways. Antidepressants have a smaller risk of dependency and abuse. They also take longer to start (4 to 6 weeks) and cannot be used for sudden onset of symptoms like benzodiazepines can.
The most commonly prescribed antidepressant medication to treat anxiety is SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Medications such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro are the most common. SSRIs are commonly prescribed to treat general anxiety disorders as well as more severe anxiety such as OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder. As with any medications these come with a risk of side effects. These include weight gain, stomach upset and nausea, sexual problems, sleepiness and dizziness, nervousness, and headaches. In addition, there may also be certain severe side effects involved such as suicidal thoughts, hostility, and aggression. Furthermore, antidepressants and benzodiazepines can increase symptoms of anxiety and depression.
A look at the mechanism of SSRIs:
These medications are used to treat anxiety by correcting the chemical imbalance in the brain involving serotonin. SSRIs accomplish this by making more of the neurotransmitter available to the receptor sites of the post-synaptic nerve.
A relatively new medication for anxiety called Buspirone or BuSpar works like an SSRI as it increases serotonin in the brain, thus reducing brain activity. In addition, it also reduces dopamine which is responsible for increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This medication begins to work in less time and carries fewer side effects than other anti-anxiety medications such as sedation. Furthermore, BuSpar does not cause loss of memory or coordination as well as not being habit forming like Ativan. However, the effectiveness of this medication is limited to that of generalized anxiety disorder only.
In some cases, Beta Blockers are used to treat anxiety as they contribute to high blood pressure and heart problems. This class of medications alleviates other symptoms of anxiety such as dizziness, sweating, trembling voice, and rapid heart rate. Generally, Beta blockers are the best option for treating a patient with phobias. As with the other medications listed earlier, Beta Blockers do come with the risk of side effects such as nausea, sleepiness, lightheadedness, and a very slow pulse.
Talk with your psychiatrist. He or she will ask you a series of questions and may conduct some physical tests to determine which medication, if any, is necessary. Remember to be patient as some drugs take several weeks to go into effect. However, it is important to let your doctor know if you dont feel that your medication is working or if you feel that it is causing adverse effects. You may have to switch to another prescription within the same class of drugs or to an entirely different class altogether.
Funmi Salami is a reputable editor and featured writer on Clivir.com where she provides and shares more information about Fear Anxiety Disorder and other information about Anxiety and Chronic Insomnia.
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