Anxiety drugs are used to eliminate the main symptoms of anxiety disorders, allowing the patient to cope with daily tasks as normally as possible. Medication does not solve the causes of the problem, they just represent a means for managing the condition. They should always be used in parallel with cognitive-behavioral therapy which is the one to lead to health improvement and full recovery. The main classes of anti anxiety drugs include benzodiazepines, azapirones and antidepressants.
BENZODIAZEPINES are also known as tranquilizers. They slow down the response of the central nervous system, and they thus reduce the intensity of the anxiety symptoms fast. Drugs like Xanax or Klonopin are prescribed to reduce phobic behavior and panic attacks, as well as to induce sleep in patients with insomnia. Although they are pretty safe, tranquilizers do have side effects such as confusion and memory problems. Clinicians are also concerned with the fact that for the long term use, patients develop tolerance to the drug. One half of patients also experience withdrawal symptoms when the medication is discontinued.
ANTIDEPRESSANTS represent the conventional type of anti anxiety drugs. They include categories like tricyclic antidepressants or TCA, MAOI medication and SSRI drugs. TCA drugs usually treat panic disorders effectively. They are administered once a day, and the dosage is increased progressively according to the clinician's recommendation. The side effects diminish if the drugs are taken before going to bed. TCA medication takes longer to show effects, which makes it inferior to benzodiazepines in terms of speed of action.
MAOI medication is widely used in the treatment of social phobia and panic disorders. These drugs have serious side effects, and they should never be taken lightly. There will be diet restrictions for people using MAOIs as well as some lifestyle changes at the doctor's recommendation.
SSRI antidepressants include anxiety drugs like Prozac, Zoloft or Paxil. Their side effects are less severe than those of TCA and MAOI drugs. SSRI are also more popular because they don't have as high a sedation rate as TCAs and they cause less weight gain.
With AZAPIRONES, there is just one medication available buspirone or BuSpar. As compared to other anxiety drugs, buspirnone seems highly efficient for generalized anxiety disorders. This medication acts more slowly in comparison with tranquilizers. Another major plus of buspirone is that it does not cause sedation, which makes it ideal for people who need to drive or who work with heavy machinery. Buspirone is also a good choice for people with a history of alcohol or substance abuse, who can't use benzodiazepines.
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