Category: Anti-Anxiety Pills

What group of Medications are used to treat anxiety disorder?

Medication treatment of anxiety is generally effective and safe. But it often takes patience and time to find the medicine that works best for you. The first line of treatment for anxiety is often cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It is a well-established, more productive, and long-lasting treatment. Some patients find that excessively high levels of anxiety make them unable to get the most out of such treatment. In this case, drugs may allow full participation in CBT. Those without access to cognitive behavioral therapy or patients who have not had a satisfactory response to it may benefit from medication treatment, too — five major classes of drugs used to treat anxiety.

Which anti-anxiety medication is right for me?

It is a significant thing to understand which anti-anxiety medication is right and beneficial for you. Mostly, patients do not select the right medication for their anxiety and face some difficulties during the entire treatment. They do not get treated correctly, even sometimes their symptoms become worse. You should discuss with your healthcare expert about medication if you are suffering from an anxiety disorder or anxiety symptoms.

What are the common types of Anti-anxiety medications?

Medication can help treat many of the symptoms of anxiety disorder, and it is often most useful when you are participating in therapy as well. Depending on the length and severity of symptoms, you may be prescribed for several anti-anxiety medications for the long-term or the long-term.

The following are the main classes of drugs typically used to treat anxiety disorder and their associated benefits and risks, along with some examples of specific medicines in each category.

i) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These inhibitors improve mood by blocking the reabsorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the human brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are not habit-forming, and they are frequently used to manage anxiety disorder, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. They are the first choice of psychiatrists because of their minimal side effects, non-addictive properties, and effectiveness for anxiety treatment. They work by increasing the amount of signaling between neurons that use a chemical known as serotonin to communicate with each other. These medicines also used to treat depression. Currently available SSRIs include Celexa (citalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), Lexapro (escitalopram), Paxil (paroxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Luvox (fluvoxamine).

ii) Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors

These medications do the same thing that SSRIs do, but they also increase the numbers of signaling between neurons that use a chemical known as norepinephrine to communicate with one another. When taken to treat anxiety, the side effects and the benefits of SNRIs are essentially the same as those of SSRIs. They also take 4 to 6 weeks to reach maximum effect like SSRIs. The three currently available SNRIs are Cymbalta (duloxetine), Effexor (venlafaxine), and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine).

iii) Benzodiazepines

This class of drugs includes well-known medications such as Xanax (Alprazolam), Valium (Diazepam), Klonopin (Clonazepam), Ativan (Lorazepam). Although benzos are prescribed frequently for anxiety management, particularly by non-psychiatrists, they are no longer considered to be the first-line treatment for anxiety. Benzodiazepines reduce anxiety quickly; however, they can produce some medical conditions when taken long-term and should use with caution.

Nonetheless, when taken properly, they can play an essential role in the management of an anxiety disorder. For example, benzos sometimes used in combination with an SSRI for the first few days of treatment before the SSRI reaches the highest efficacy. Long-term therapy with benzos may be appropriate for some peoples with anxiety but is not considered to be first-line treatment and should only take in this way under the care of a psychiatrist.

They cause tolerance, which means that over time more of the medication needs to be taken to achieve the same effects. Benzos also inhibit the formation of new memories, which can have a negative impact on psychotherapy.

iv) Buspirone

Buspar is a medication sometimes used to treat anxiety symptoms. It works by influencing the neurons which use serotonin to communicate. Like SSRIs, this medication works by affecting the neurons which use serotonin to communicate, but unlike SSRIs, which increase the quantity of serotonin available to all serotonin receptor.

v) Gabapentin

This medication is primarily used to treat seizures and nerve pain but also used with some frequency by psychiatrists to treat anxiety disorder. Like hydroxyzine, Neurontin (gabapentin) works quickly and without many of the issues associated with benzodiazepines.

Since Gabapentin (Neurontin) has “Gaba” in its name, it mistakenly believed to directly affect neurons that use a chemical known as GABA to communicate with one another. The actual mechanism by which gabapentin achieves its effects is still unknown but may involve binding to a cell that moves calcium across the cell membrane.
These are the most prescribed drugs for the treatment of anxiety disorder. Apart from these drugs, there are several anti-anxiety medications, including over the counter and prescription medicines.