Commonly Prescribed Anti-Anxiety Medications

Anxiety disorders encompass several illnesses, including panic attacks, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A doctor will prescribe medication for a patient based on the type of disorder he is experiencing as well as how quickly the medicine needs to take effect. Side effects and other medications the patient is taking are also factored into the decision.

Anti-Anxiety Medications

• Specifically formulated for anti-anxiety, benzodiazepines include Valium and Xanax and are the most commonly prescribed drugs for anxiety. Xanax is recommended for all anxiety disorders except PTSD, and Valium is effective against phobias, panic disorder and GAD.

  Benzodiazepines take affect quickly, some in as little as an hour. They also run the highest risk of addiction and withdrawal issues. Patients may build a tolerance for benzodiazepines over time and require higher doses for effectiveness. For all of these reasons, doctors often prescribe benzodiazepines for a limited time and wean patients off of them slowly.

  Klonopin, developed as an anticonvulsant, is often prescribed for social phobia and GAD, and Ativan is a common prescription for panic disorder. BuSpar, while not a benzodiazepine, is a mild tranquilizer often prescribed for anti-anxiety. However, it requires two weeks or more to take effect.

SSRI Antidepressants

• Medicines developed to treat depression have been found to work on anxiety issues as well. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) group of antidepressants including Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox and Paxil may be prescribed in conjunction with benzodiazepines. A patient can be tapered off the more addictive but faster-acting anti-anxiety pills, leaving the antidepressant to continue the treatment. This group of antidepressants is gaining in popularity as an initial treatment option as well. PTSD appears to respond particularly well to SSRIs. SSRIs take anywhere from two to 12 weeks to take full effect.

Other Antidepressants

• Tricyclic, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) and serotonin--norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants are also prescribed for anxiety. The tricyclic Tofranil is prescribed for panic disorder and GAD, and Anafranil is a treatment for OCD. MAOIs Nardil, Parnate and Marplan help with most forms of anxiety but can interact with certain foods to increase the patient's blood pressure and are thus prescribed cautiously. The SNRIs Effexor and Cymbalta are sometimes prescribed for anxiety, with the exception of PTSD.

Beta-blockers

• Designed to treat heart conditions and high blood pressure, beta-blockers are prescribed for treatment of anxiety symptoms, most often those associated with social phobias. Inderal and Tenormin help with shaking and perspiration. Beta-blockers are generally prescribed for a limited amount of time.