Good Medications for Anxiety

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, anxiety is the body's natural reaction to stress, so some anxiety can be beneficial, helping a person to react appropriately and effectively to work deadlines or personal issues. However, too much anxiety can be a problem, often leading to anxiety conditions like panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Quite a few good, effective medications are available for anxiety, but most of them are prescription-only. Examining the pros and cons of each type will help you and your physician decide on the anxiety medication right for you.

Benzodiazepines

• As central nervous system depressants, benzodiazepines are a fast, effective treatment for anxiety of any level. Benzodiazepines, states NIMH, are of high potency and have few side effects other than drowsiness.

  Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) within the brain. When one is experiencing persistent anxiety or a panic attack, the GABA activity that benzodiazepines creates causes a feeling of calm, while slowing the heart rate and depressing the central nervous system. Medications of the benzodiazepine type usually prescribed for anxiety are lorazepam (Ativan), alprazolam (Xanax XR), clonazepam (Klonipin) and diazepam (Valium).

  Benzodiazepines are considered good medications for anxiety in terms of their quick and effective method of action. They should be used with caution, however, and never taken with alcohol, which can cause an overdose. All of them are habit-forming as well, so they usually are only prescribed for the short-term relief of anxiety.

Antidepressants

• Not only used for the treatment of depression as their name suggests, antidepressants often are prescribed for anxiety as well. Although these drugs take longer than benzodiazepines to work , they provide a potential long-term solution to anxiety.

  Medications like paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are all antidepressants and all are medications doctors may prescribe for the treatment of anxiety, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. These medications are medically termed as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI's, which means that they prevent the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) serotonin from being reabsorbed into their receptors. More serotonin present in the brain is thought to help not only with depression but also with anxiety.

  Antidepressants are generally one of the first-line medications that a doctor prescribes for a patient's anxiety. They can take up to a month or more to work even when taken daily, so antidepressants are often prescribed with a small supply of benzodiazepines to manage anxiety until the SSRI begins to work.

Atypical Antipsychotics

• Don't let the name of this class of drugs put you off--unlike typical antipsychotics (Thorazine, Haldol), these medications are not simply indicated for psychosis or schizophrenia. In the proper dosage, they can be good choices for serious anxiety.

  Atypical antipsychotics are powerful medications and are being prescribed by physicians and psychiatrists for conditions involving anxiety at an increasing rate in recent years. Their method of action is currently unclear; however, the ADAA states that these medications have an effect on serotonin levels linked to anxiety in the brain. Atypical antipsychotics include drugs like quetiapine (Seroquel), aripiprazole (Abilify) and lanzapine (Zyprexa).

  Careful consideration should be given to this class of medications for anxiety before you and your doctor decide on an atypical antipsychotic. These medications can produce pronounced side effects at various dosages, with the most common being drowsiness.