Anti-Anxiety Drugs Side Effects

Anti-anxiety drugs treat anxiety disorders, including obsessive compulsion disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social phobia disorder. The drugs are usually mild sedatives, hypnotics and tranquilizers, some of which are categorized as controlled substances. Some anti-anxiety drugs can be easily abused and misused because the user feels more panic and takes more medicine, building up a tolerance, or because the user feels he cannot operate correctly without the drug's sedating properties. Known together as "anxiolytics," these medications are supposed to stop the frequency, intensity and length of anxiety episodes. With the use of these dugs---especially in higher doses---many symptoms arise.

Memory Impairment

• Anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines are known for many of the following reactions and side effects. However, most Anxiolytics also have these impairments. Memory loss and loss of concentration are huge problems with these medications. Confusion over tasks and purposes may arise. Users may forget small things and tasks as well as larger ones. Memory loss may be short term or long term. Because many axiolytics essentially slow down the activity in the brain to prevent anxiety, it makes sense that reaction time, slowed speech and memory, which are all essential brain functions, are slowed down as well.

Coordination Impairment

• Coordination impairment is usually seen as a patient begins his initial dose of medication or if he has been prescribed a higher dose of medicine. It can be a long-term affliction in some, especially if an axiolytic is mixed with antipsychotics and other psychiatric medications. Since anxiolytics slow brain behavior, response time is slowed as well, making users prone to falling over, tripping over their own legs or bumping into solid objects. In this respect, it is much like intoxication's effects on the mind because the higher brain functions involved with the central nervous system are purposefully being depressed to stop anxiety.

Uninhibited Behavior

• Behavior or speech without inhibition is present in some users of anxiolytics. Response time, as well as content, is disrupted because of the brain-altering effects of anxiolytics. The user will begin to unwind, especially if the medication is of a higher dosage, and he will begin to exhibit unabashed, uninhibited behavior in actions and speech. Sometimes the user may not even recognize the symptoms in himself.

Drowsiness

• Drowsiness is very common with anxiolytics. Since the brain slows, the body responds by slowing, too. The anxious user is unable to use stimulants in case of an anxiety attack, so he will likely suffer through long bouts of being exhausted and physically depressed without actually being able to sleep. He may have eight hours of sleep from the night before, but that makes no difference. After ingesting the pill, the exhausting drowsiness that he cannot control sets in. In most cases people can learn to tolerate the effects. Users with higher dosage of anxiolytics or who are mixing anxiolytics with other prescriptions have more trouble adjusting.

Alcohol Mimicking

• Signs of an anti-anxiety medication overdose closely resemble intoxication because both alcohol and these types of medication slow down the brain, coordination, speech and behavior. Both are classified as central nervous system depressants that also restrict breathing and consciousness, and can induce comas if heavily abused. The medicines also impair the user's ability to use judgment, discretion and regular inhibitions. In fact, according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, one of the known anti-anxiety drugs, Rohypnol (a benzodiazepine), is actually used as a date rape drug.

Warning

• Prescription anxiolytics should not be taken lightly because they are prescription drugs. They have effects that hit the user hard, and sometimes the user has trouble adjusting to them. It is important for people to see how their medicine affects them before going out socially, driving or working so they know what to expect and how to overcome any problems they may face with the medication.