Drugs to Help Suppress Anxiety

Anxiety is a common condition experienced by millions of people. There are many treatments for anxiety including therapy, holistic treatments and medication. Medications for anxiety work in various ways and treat different anxiety disorders. If you're considering drugs to help suppress anxiety, get a proper diagnosis to ensure that the prescribed medication treats your symptoms.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• MayoClinic.com describes generalized anxiety disorder as feelings of persistent worry, sleeping difficulties, feeling tense or nervous, irritability, rapid heartbeat and being easily excited or scared. HealthyPlace.com's Anti-Anxiety Medications Chart includes the antidepressants Effexor and Serzone; the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Luvox and Prozac; the benzodiazepines Ativan, Klonopin, Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Librium and Restoril; and the azaspirone BuSpar. Antidepressants work by increasing the production of the brain chemicals that regulate mood and stress levels. They usually are prescribed for people experiencing the symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. SSRIs work by inhibiting the absorption of the brain chemical serotonin by the brain cells, therefore increasing the effectiveness of the chemical. These medications also are primarily prescribed for those experiencing depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines work by increasing the production of the brain chemical GABA. BuSpar increases the production of serotonin, but works less quickly than other anti-anxiety medications for generalized anxiety disorder.

Social Anxiety Disorder

• Social anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of tension, worry, fear and dread in a social situation. Medications prescribed for social anxiety disorder are the anti-convulsant Neurontin, the aforementioned benzodiazepines, the beta-blockers Propanolol and Atenolol, the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) Nardale and Parmate, the aforementioned SSRIs, and the antidepressants Effexor, Pristiq and Serzone. Anticonvulsants help lessen the symptoms of social anxiety disorder by influencing the levels of GABA in the brain. Beta-blockers help reduce the feelings of panic and terror as these medications reduce the amount of adrenaline released in the body. MAOIs inhibit the reactions of an enzyme in the brain, allowing more serotonin and noradrenaline to be produced and absorbed.

Panic Disorder

• People experiencing the symptoms of a panic disorder are suddenly stricken with feelings of terror, panic and dread. Their heart rate increases, they begin to sweat and tremble, they may feel great intestinal discomfort and they may have dry mouth and some confusion. Medications that treat panic disorder include the benzodiazepines, the MAOIs, the SSRIs, the tricyclic antidepressants and the antidepressants Desyrel, Effexor, Pristiq and Serzone. Medications that treat panic disorder work by increasing the production of brain chemicals GABA, serotonin or norepinephrine.

Other Disorders

• Other anxiety disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People with PTSD feel emotionally numb and distant, may have violent outbursts and can be easily frightened. PTSD occurs after experiencing a traumatic event or series of events. It is treated primarily with cognitive behavioral therapy in combination with MAOIs and tricyclic antidepressants.

  Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a condition marked by repetitive disturbing thoughts (obsessions) and ritualized repetitive behaviors or actions (compulsions). People suffering from OCD often will engage in compulsive behaviors to help ease the anxiety brought about by their uncontrolled, disturbing thoughts. However, these compulsions often offer only a temporary relief, and not performing them makes their anxiety even greater. Medications that treat obsessive-compulsive disorder include tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs and additional antidepressants such as Effexor and Desyrel.