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Medications for Anxiety Disorders
Medication can play a useful role in treating anxiety disorders and may be used in conjunction with other forms of therapy. Anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications are often used to ease symptoms so that other therapy can go forward.
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Common Medications |
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| Chemical
Category
& Brand Names |
Target Anxiety Disorders | How It's Thought to Work | Benefits | Drawbacks | ||
Benzodiazepines:
|
GAD Panic Disorder Social Phobia Insomnia |
Enhances the function of GABA. | Fast-acting, with most people feeling better in the first week and many feeling the effects the first day of treatment. | Potentially habit-forming; can cause drowsiness; can produce withdrawal symptoms. | ||
| Beta Blockers: Inderal Tenormin |
Social Phobia | Reduces effects of adrenaline. | Fast acting; non-habit forming. | Should not be used with certain pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma, congestive heart failure, diabetes, vascular disease, hyperthyroidism, and angina pectoris. | ||
| Azaspirones: BuSpar |
GAD | Enhances the activity of serotonin. | Effective for many people; less sedating than benzodiazepines. | Works slowly; can't switch from benzodiazepines immediately. | ||
| Monoamine Oxidase
Inhibitors (MAOIs): Eldepryl Marplan Nardil Parnate |
Panic Disorder Social Phobia PTSD OCD |
Blocks the effect of an
important brain chemical, preventing the break- down of serotonin and noradreniline. |
Effective for many people,
especially for patients not responding to other medicines; 2
to 6 weeks until im- provement occurs. |
Strict dietary restrictions and potential drug interactions; low blood pressure, moderate weight gain; reduced sexual response; insomnia. | ||
| Serotonin Reuptake
Inhibitors (SRIs): Celexa Desyrel Effexor Luvox Paxil Prozac Serzone Zoloft |
Panic Disorder OCD Social Phobia GAD |
Affects the concentration of serotonin, a chemical in the brain thought to be linked to anxiety disorders. | Effective for many people; 2 to 6 weeks until improvement occurs. | Nausea; some can cause nervousness; sexual difficulties. | ||
| Tricyclic
Antidepressants (TCAs): Adapin Anafranil Elavil Janimine Ludiomil Pamelor Pertofrane Sinequan Surmontil Tofranil Vivactil |
Panic Disorder PTSD OCD |
Regulates serotonin and/or noradreniline in the brain. | Effective for many people; may take 2 to 6 weeks until improvement occurs. | Dry mouth, constipation, blurry vision, difficulty urinating; dizziness, low blood pressure; moderate weight gain; sexual difficulty. | ||
| Anticonvulsants: Neurontin |
Social Phobia | Affects GABA. | May take 2-4 weeks to work. | Sedation. | ||
|
Medicines
used to manage anxiety disorders are grouped based on their
chemical properties. Most anxiety disorders respond best to a combination of medication and other treatments. |
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