Anti-Anxiety Drugs for the Treatment of Anxiety & Depression

More drugs that treat anxiety and depression have been introduced in recent years. They are in three
categories--anti-depressants, benzodiazepines and buspirone.

The trend for multiuse drugs has occurred because of recent research, reported The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston website. "Anxiety and depression frequently coexist so that patients that exhibit both conditions are the rule rather than the exception," the website says.

Research

• People often have anxiety and depression problems because parts of the brain are responsible for mental and emotional functions and they often interact with each other. The Health Science Center pinpointed the hippocampus and amygdala as key factors in anxiety and depression.

Psychology

• Drugs are not the only solution. Patients taking drugs are also often advised to undergo counseling individual and/or group therapy. "A combination of medicine and cognitive behavior techniques work best to manage the condition," the Health Science Center reported.

Alcohol Abuse

• According to the Georgetown University website, benzodiazepines are effective because they relieve anxiety symptoms "quickly and has few side effects." However, the website warns that people who have alcohol or drug dependency problems often also become too dependent on benzodiazepines. Xanax, Versed, and Restoril are benzodiazepines.

Social Anxiety

• A group of anti-depressant medications called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are also effective in reducing anxiety, reports the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Paxil, Zoloft, and Effexor are the three SSRIs approved for treating social anxiety by the Food and Drug Administration.

Side Effects

• SSRIs have possible side effects. They include chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, and insomnia. "SSRIs may take several weeks to become effective," reports the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. "Thus, one common strategy is to prescribe both an anti-anxiety medication and an SSRI during the few weeks that the SSRI is ineffective."