Drugs To Treat Anxiety Disorder

Drugs to Treat Anxiety Disorder

Remedies

In this article, we will discuss Drugs to Treat Anxiety Disorder. Most people feel anxious at some point in their life, and that feeling often goes away on its own. Anxiety disorders are different. If you are diagnosed with one, you will have to help many people deal with their anxiety. Treatment usually consists of psychotherapy and medication.

The drug doesn’t cure anxiety, but it does help control symptoms so that it can work well in daily life and make you feel better.

There are many types of medication. We’re all different, so you and your doctor may need to try some medications to find the right one for you. Here are the Best Drugs to Treat Anxiety Disorder

Drugs to Treat Anxiety Disorder

Benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepines are tranquilizers that help relax muscles and calm the mind. They work by improving the effectiveness of certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that carry messages between brain cells.

Benzodiazepines help treat several types of anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Examples of these drugs are:

  • Alprazolam (Xanax)
  • Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • Clonazepam (cronopin)
  • Diazepam (barium)
  • Lorazepam (Atiban)

Benzodiazepines are generally used for the short-term treatment of anxiety. This is because it can increase sleepiness and cause balance and memory problems. You can also form habits. Benzodiazepine abuse is becoming more common.

It is important to only use these medications until your doctor prescribes other treatments. However, if you have panic disorder, your doctor may prescribe benzodiazepines for up to a year.

Side effects:

In addition to drowsiness and memory problems, taking benzodiazepines can cause confusion, blurred vision, headaches, and depression.

 

If you are taking benzodiazepines regularly for more than 2 weeks, it is important not to suddenly stop taking the medicine. This is because it can cause seizures in some people. Instead, talk to your doctor about slowly reducing your dose to reduce the risk of seizures.

Buspirone

Buspirone is used to treat short-term anxiety disorders and chronic (long-term) anxiety disorders. How buspirone works is not fully understood, but it is believed to affect chemicals in the brain that regulate mood.

It can take several weeks for buspirone to take effect. It can be used not only as a generic but also as a branded drug buspirone.

Side effects

Side effects include dizziness, headache, and nausea. Some people report strange dreams and trouble sleeping when taking buspirone.

Antidepressant

Antidepressants work by affecting neurotransmitters. Although these drugs can be used to treat symptoms of anxiety, it usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for their effects to be felt.

The types of antidepressants are:

SSRI

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) work by increasing levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sex drive, appetite, sleep, and memory. SSRIs are usually started with low doses that are gradually increased by the doctor.

The following are examples of SSRIs used to treat anxiety.

  • Escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • Fluoxetine (Prozac)
  • Paroxetine (Paxil)
  • Sertraline (Zoloft)

Side effects

SSRIs can cause a variety of side effects, but most people tolerate them well. Side effects are:

  • Nausea
  • thirst
  • weak spot
  • diarrhea
  • dizzy
  • sleepiness
  • Sexual dysfunction

Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about certain side effects.

Tricyclic antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants work similarly to SSRIs in treating most anxiety disorders, with the exception of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Tricyclic antidepressants are believed to work similarly to SSRIs. Like SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants are started with low doses and then gradually increased.

The following are examples of tricyclic antidepressants used for anxiety.

  • Clomipramine (anafuranyl)
  • Imipramine (Tofranil)

Tricyclic antidepressants are old drugs, and newer drugs have fewer side effects and are used less often.

Side effects

Side effects of tricyclic antidepressants include dizziness, lightheadedness, lack of energy, and dry mouth. This also includes nausea and vomiting, constipation, blurred vision, and weight gain.

MAOI

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are used to treat panic disorder and social phobia. They work by increasing the number of neurotransmitters that regulate mood.

MAOIs that have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression but are used off-label for anxiety include:

  • Isocarboxazid (Murplan)
  • Phenelzine (nargil)
  • Selegiline (Msam)
  • Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

Side effects

Like tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs are old drugs and cause more side effects than newer ones. MAOIs are also subject to certain restrictions. For example, taking MAOIs makes it impossible to eat certain foods like cheese and red wine.

SSRIs, some oral contraceptives, pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and certain medications like cold and allergy medications and herbal supplements can react with MAOIs.

Using MAOIs with these foods and drugs can lead to dangerously high blood pressure and other life-threatening side effects.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are most commonly used to treat heart disease. Doctors may prescribe beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal) to reduce symptoms of anxiety in stressful situations such as attending parties and talking.

Side effects

Beta-blockers generally do not cause side effects for anyone who takes them.

Some possible side effects are:

  • Light pain
  • dizzy
  • sleepiness
  • thirst

Other side effects are:

  • Trouble sleeping
  • Nausea
  • Dyspnea

Home Remedies for Anxiety

There are several home interventions that can help relieve symptoms of anxiety. In addition to taking the drug, some interventions can be performed.

 

Examples of these interventions are:

 

Exercise

According to the American Anxiety and Neurosis Association (ADAA), exercise helps reduce stress and increase general well-being.

Helps in the production of a neurotransmitter known as endorphins. These neurotransmitters are natural pain relievers in your body and can also improve the quality of your sleep.

The ADAA points out that even short workouts (about 10 minutes at a time) can help improve your mood.

Meditation

Anxiety can be relieved by focusing on deep breathing and relaxation with 15 minutes of rest and meditation. You can listen to music regularly and repeat the motivational mantra. Yoga also helps reduce stress.

Try chamomile

Drinking chamomile tea or taking chamomile tea can help relieve symptoms of anxiety.

A double-blind study, published in the journal Phytomedicine in 2016, focused on people with generalized anxiety disorder.

The study found that study participants who took 500 milligrams of chamomile supplements three times a day reported moderate to severe reductions in generalized anxiety disorder.

Drinking chamomile tea has also been shown to help reduce anxiety.

Aromatherapy Oil Scent

According to an article published in an evidence-based journal of complementary and alternative medicine, the scent of diluted aromatherapy oils helps reduce anxiety.

Here are some examples of essential oils used for anxiety relief:

  • lavender
  • Neroli
  • chamomile

Avoid Caffeine

Sometimes caffeine can make people feel convulsive or anxious. Avoidance can help some people reduce their anxiety.

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