The antidepressants most widely prescribed for anxiety are SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, and Celexa. SSRIs have been used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
SSRIs and SNRIs are often the first-line treatment for anxiety. Common SSRI brands are Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. Common SNRI brands are Pristiq, Cymbalta, and Effexor XR. Pros: They are effective for a lot of people and they have a solid safety profile.
Long-term medications are helpful if you feel anxious most days for a significant part of the day. They must be taken every day for several weeks before you feel the full effect. Short-term medications are helpful during brief episodes of intense anxiety, such as a panic attack.
Benzodiazepines can be taken as needed to help you relax and reduce muscle tension when facing a stressful situation.
The most prominent of anti-anxiety drugs for the purpose of immediate relief are those known as benzodiazepines; among them are alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan).
Buspar® (Buspirone)
This non-addictive anxiety medication is similar to an SSRI in that it increases chemical messengers involving serotonin.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders. They affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with a number of psychotherapeutic treatments.
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.
Furthermore, because anxiety medications need oversight by a medical provider, they are only available through prescription. That said, there are some over-the-counter (OTC) remedies and supplements that may be linked to reduced feelings of anxiety and its accompanying symptoms.
First-line drugs are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Benzodiazepines are not recommended for routine use. Other treatment options include pregabalin, tricyclic antidepressants, buspirone, moclobemide, and others.
Long-term benzodiazepines side effects can result in over-sedation. These anti-anxiety medications take a long time to metabolize so it can build up in your body. Over-sedation will make the person feel like they're drunk. The following day, the user could feel like they have a hangover.
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.
But researchers don't know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. They suspect a combination of factors plays a role: Chemical imbalance: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the chemical balance that controls your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can lead to an anxiety disorder.
Difficult experiences in childhood, adolescence or adulthood are a common trigger for anxiety problems. Going through stress and trauma when you're very young is likely to have a particularly big impact. Experiences which can trigger anxiety problems include things like: physical or emotional abuse.
Buspirone. This anti-anxiety medication may treat short- or long-term anxiety symptoms. Buspirone (BuSpar) works much more slowly than benzodiazepines and may not treat all types of anxiety disorder, but it causes fewer side effects and has a lower risk of dependency.
Benzodiazepines, buspirone and hydroxyzine are Food and Drugs administration (FDA) approved for GAD and have relatively good evidence of efficacy. Other drugs (betablockers, zolpidem, riluzole, etc.)
If You Do Have to Take Antidepressants Forever, You Will Be OK. Some recent studies suggest long-term antidepressant use may come with side effects previously unknown to scientists. “These risks include an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, especially for SSRI users,” Dr. Hong explained.
GAD is a long-term condition that causes you to feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than 1 specific event. People with GAD feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed.
The FDA has approved TMS to treat severe major depressive disorder, major depressive disorder with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Specific TMS devices have also been approved to help patients with smoking cessation.