Drug Treatment for Depression and Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are two conditions that frequently occur together. Depression involves feelings of sadness and depressed mood, and anxiety involves feelings of worry and agitation, both persisting over time.

Drug Treatment

• There are a variety of medications used to treat depression and anxiety and when these conditions occur simultaneously, the most common medications used are anti-depressants since they are also known to reduce anxiety symptoms.

SSRIs

• The particular type of antidepressant most effective with anxiety are the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These drugs increase the amount of the brain chemical serotonin, a lack of which is associated with both depression and anxiety.

Examples

• Some commonly used SSRI antidepressants include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Lexapro, and these are all prescribed for anxiety symptoms as well as depression.

Side Effects

• The downside of antidepressants is that they often have side effects. These may be minor to severe and can include drowsiness, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, sleep problems and nausea.

Additional Considerations

• Antidepressants can also be difficult to discontinue due to their effect on brain chemistry, and they can effect mood in such a way as to increase suicidal feelings in some patients. The supervision of a competent physician is essential for anyone taking antidepressants.