Some types of antidepressant medication can help manage anxiety, even if you don't have depression. When you have an anxiety condition your brain's chemicals can become unbalanced, including serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. Antidepressant medication can fix these chemical imbalances.
If you have a form of anxiety or phobia, an antidepressant could help you feel calmer and more able to deal with other problems. It could also help you feel more able to benefit from other anxiety treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Agitation, restlessness, anxiety
Agitation, restlessness or anxiety can result from the stimulating effect of certain antidepressants.
Strategies to cope with anxiety
Relax your body and muscles, and control your breathing. You can do this through exercises such as yoga, guided meditation, mindful meditation, and breathing exercises. Use visualizations, music, and meditation to relax and ease your mind.
An anxiety disorder can last anywhere from a few months to many years. It will go away completely for some, and for others, it may be a lifelong condition to treat.
Around 60% of people respond by about two months to the drugs with about a 50% reduction in their symptoms - an improvement in mood, better sleep and so on. But, he said, “about 80% of people stop antidepressants within a month”.
Most people with anxiety disorders never fully eliminate their anxiety. However, they can learn how to control their feelings and greatly reduce the severity of their anxiety through therapy (and medication if needed).
These medications take effect almost immediately and usually start to wear off within a few hours. They should not be taken daily unless your doctor explicitly recommends it.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. But anxiety disorders are treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
So, when should I take an antidepressant? If your depression or anxiety is mild to moderate, and if time and a talking treatment have not helped, and especially if things are getting worse, then you should consider taking an antidepressant.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressants that treat depression. However, they are also commonly prescribed for several anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder.
If you have anxiety, medication can help because the medicines used for anxiety alter the chemicals in your body and brain, reducing symptoms, and often helping you calm down and focus on other things.
Living with anxiety can be frustrating and challenging at times. But ignoring your symptoms doesn't make them any better and can even make you feel worse in many cases. There are several different treatment options you can try to manage your symptoms.
Instead, high-functioning anxiety typically refers to someone who experiences anxiety while still managing daily life quite well. Generally, a person with high-functioning anxiety may appear put together and well- accomplished on the outside, yet experience worry, stress or have obsessive thoughts on the inside.
Many people describe SSRIs as “turning the volume down” on their anxious thoughts. This can also help you engage more with psychotherapy and other wellness-related activities such as mindfulness. SSRIs may also reduce the physiological symptoms of anxiety (sleep, muscle tension, headaches).
Benzodiazepines (also known as tranquilizers) are the most widely prescribed type of medication for anxiety. Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour.
Keep in mind that you may need to try several different antidepressants to find the right option for you, and even then, it can take 2 or 3 weeks to see an initial improvement. After that, it can take 3 to 6 months for symptoms to improve to the point that you are no longer depressed.
Does anxiety get better with age? Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. Although there are reasons we might expect a senior to have less anxiety, such as being retired and no longer living with the stress of the workaday world, for many older adults anxiety may not necessarily improve.
Feelings of anxiety are likely to pass with time as we get used to the "new normal" but it's important to do what we can to take care of our mental health. There are lots of things that can help you to manage these feelings and make it easier to adjust.
Anxiety is treatable without medication using the right combination of lifestyle changes, therapies, and support. If a person is concerned about their anxiety, they should reach out to a mental health professional or doctor and not delay care.