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.
In addition, medications originally designed for depression, the SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor, Cymbalta, and others), are also capable of lowering the underlying level of anxiety which takes a lot of steam out of this phenomenon.
If you experience anxiety
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).
5) Can my anxiety medication cause long-term changes to my brain and personality? Benzodiazepines may have a long-term impact on your central nervous system (CNS) — your brain and spinal cord. They might change your brain's reaction time and ability to think.
It's worth talking to a doctor if you can't bring yourself to leave the house because you fear something bad might happen. If you worry so much that you find yourself with physical sensations, like shaking or hot flashes, a doctor, and perhaps anxiety medication, can help.
You may experience feelings of calm minutes after taking these medications. While these medications can provide significant benefits, however, they also come with risks. Benzos can cause side effects like nausea, confusion, and headaches.
When you're benefiting from antidepressants, you should feel: A mood that is less depressed, less irritable, happier, and more content. Excitement for and pleasure in everyday activities and events. An ability to regulate your eating patterns without eating too much or too little.
No, overthinking isn't a recognized mental health condition, but it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things.
Overthinking can be a way of trying to control a situation and feel more confident about what to do next, says Sanam Hafeez, PsyD, a neuropsychologist in New York City. When you're overthinking, the brain attempts to reduce your anxiety by cycling through possible scenarios and attempting to predict what will happen.
The act of overthinking can be linked to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, although it's hard to know which happens first in each individual. It's sort of like a “chicken or egg” type conundrum. Either way, it's apparent that overthinking can cause your mental health to decline.
While they're called antidepressants, most offer benefits in the treatment of anxiety, as well. Furthermore, therapeutic techniques like psychotherapy may also benefit you in the fight against these thoughts.
Certain psychiatric medications can help control the obsessions and compulsions of OCD . Most commonly, antidepressants are tried first. Antidepressants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OCD include: Clomipramine (Anafranil) for adults and children 10 years and older.
If you are suffering from low serotonin levels it can cause depression, anxiety, insomnia, overthinking, negative thoughts and other mental health conditions. Serotonin basically can have an effect on your mood and overall behaviour and the chemical is commonly linked to feeling good and living longer.
If you have severe anxiety that's interfering with your ability to function, medication may be helpful—especially as a short-term treatment. However, many people use anti-anxiety medication when therapy, exercise, or other self-help strategies would work just as well or better, minus the drawbacks.
Anxiety can make you feel restless, nervous, and panicky even when you're not in any danger. Sometimes, you can get these symptoms because of medications you're taking for other health conditions. They may either make your existing anxiety worse or trigger the symptoms for the first time.
Venlafaxine, sold as Effexor, is the most common SNRI prescribed by doctors in Australia. Medications managing two chemicals in the brain, as SNRIs do, are more likely to come with side effects, Dr Eapen says.
Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.
It's natural to worry about an event like an exam or a driving test. Being nervous shows you care about the outcome. Once the event is over, anxious thoughts usually disappear. Overthinking is when you continue to worry.
The fear that grounds overthinking is often based in feeling that you aren't good enough—not smart enough or hardworking enough or dedicated enough. Once you've given an effort your best, accept it as such and know that, while success may depend in part on some things you can't control, you've done what you could do.
Physical Health Effects
This constant loop of worry and analyzing can be taxing on the mind and body. Overthinking has been linked to physical health issues such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic fatigue, insomnia and sleep disruption.