Medications for Anxiety Disorders Chart
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.
Common Medications | ||||||
| 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 Lexapro 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. | ||||||
next: My Story of Panic
~ anxiety-panic library articles
~ all anxiety disorders articles
reviewed by:
Harry Croft, MD (Psychiatrist)
Medical Director, HealthyPlace.com
Created on February 19, 2007 Last Updated on November 22, 2011
In Anxiety - Panic
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