Anxiety Treatments Medication Anxiety can hinder your everyday activities, so it's important to seek assistance if you are suffering from extreme anxiety Changes in your lifestyle, such as reducing your stress and doing regular physical exercise, are a few options for treatment Your doctor might recommend psychological therapy FDA approved several medications to treat anxiety disorders These include SSRIs and SNRIs that affect the neurotransmitter, serotonin Anticonvulsants such as pregabalin can help reduce anxiety by affecting GABA receptors Benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines help to calm the nervous system by acting upon it They work by increasing the effects of a brain neurotransmitter referred to as gamma aminobutyric acids GABA GABA blocks nerve activity in the brain and spinal cord and assists in reducing anxiety Benzodiazepines can relieve anxiety symptoms in a matter of minutes unlike antidepressants that can take weeks to work They are high-risk substances for abuse and dependence The body becomes accustomed to benzodiazepines following regular use This could result in physical dependence They can be a powerful treatment if other methods aren't working or are not available It is essential to speak with your doctor before taking benzodiazepines They can assist you in determining the root of your anxiety and discuss other options that might be more suitable For instance the use of talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy CBT and exposure therapy can help you address the root of your anxiety and help you develop coping skills Benzodiazepines aren't typically employed as the first-choice medication for anxiety disorders, since they can cause serious adverse effects when used in conjunction with alcohol or other narcotics They can also be addictive and carry a high chance of overdose The first benzodiazepines were introduced in the 1950s, with chlordiazepoxide Librium, Limbitrol followed by diazepam Valium and lorazepam Ativan All of these drugs come with the black-box warning that states they can cause life-threatening or serious side effects, including severe sleepiness and breathing issues SSRIs SSRIs are a category of antidepressant medicines that are typically the first choice of people who suffer from anxiety They boost the levels of certain chemical messengers within the brain, especially serotonin and norepinephrine They also regulate other vital chemicals such as those that control sleep and mood and decrease stress hormones within the body Prozac is the most commonly prescribed SSRI Other SSRIs include Lexapro, Zoloft, and Paxil as well as SNRIs such as Effexor XR, Cymbalta, and Pristiq While experts aren't sure exactly how SSRIs can help combat anxiety, they do know that these medications improve the way your brain works They increase the glial cell's function these are the brain cells that support nourish, insulate, and protect your neurons and increase BDNF levels brain-derived neurotrophic factor and boost levels of serotonin itself It's not clear what the exact mechanism of these supplements is however, it could be a combination of factors SSRIs like other types of medications, can take up to a month before they start working They require regular treatment in order to keep their benefits They can cause adverse effects, such as nausea and diarrhea Some men may experience a decrease in libido and sodium levels Your doctor will decide the duration of time that you should be taking them based on your symptoms as well as any other treatments you are using They might recommend you keep taking them for a period of 6 to 12 months or work with you to reduce or stop taking the medication They may also suggest other treatments like psychotherapy, herbs, and supplements to treat anxiety-related symptoms For https//wwwiampsychiatrycom/anxiety-treatment , Vistaril can be used for itching, or chamomile to help you sleep Beta-blockers Beta-blockers also known as beta-adrenergic blockers prevent adrenaline from binding with your heart's receptors This relaxes your heart and lowers blood pressure They are usually prescribed to treat anxiety and can be an excellent alternative to traditional medication for psychiatric disorders that can have side effects Beta-blockers may help reduce anxiety-related physical symptoms, but they don't solve the mental stress-related causes They are generally employed to control certain situations that cause anxiety, such as public speaking or flying They can be utilized in conjunction with therapy to treat the underlying anxiety disorder or on their own as long-term daily medication Due to the way they work beta blockers can cause several side effects, including bradycardia and hypotension You might also feel shakey or sweaty People with asthma, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes should not take them Despite the negative side effects, beta blockers are still widely used and studied They've been in the market for a long time and are considered to be safe for adults Comparatively, they are also reasonably affordable and readily available For many taking them, the risk of adverse effects is worth the trade-off to their effectiveness Beta-blockers are a good option for those suffering from mild to moderate anxiety They are more effective than benzodiazepines, which are best for those who suffer from severe or life-threatening anxiety disorders However, they will not solve your underlying problem and are ideal for anxiety that is short-term, such as prior to major events like a speech or flight In addition to helping reduce anxiety, they may also help you sleep better and control your blood sugar Monoamine oxidase inhibitors Monoamine Oxase inhibitors MAOIs inhibit the enzyme that breaks down monoamine neurotransmitters They enhance the availability of serotonin as well as other neurotransmitters such as the epinephrine and melatonin to transmit by stopping their breakdown in neurons They are best known as effective antidepressants, and have some effectiveness in treating anxiety disorders They can be used alone or in conjunction with other medications They can also be used to treat Parkinson's disease and various other ailments Eugenol is an essential oil that is found in the bud, leaf, and stem of clove Syzygium aromaticum and in the bark of cinnamon Cinnamomum verum In a test tube, Eugenol was found to block MAOI function and could interact negatively with these drugs MAOIs can cause serious adverse effects, which is why they aren't the first medicines that doctors recommend for treating depression or anxiety They are typically prescribed to patients who have not responded to other medicines They also help manage a variety of other conditions, such as Fibromyalgia and Parkinson's disease They can cause low blood pressure when standing in a sitting or lying position, which is known as orthostatic hypotension MAOIs are commonly used to treat anxiety disorders as well as atypical depression and tranylcypromine Phenelzine is used for an atypical form of depression and panic disorder It has a few studies on panic disorder These medications aren't as efficient as SSRIs for all patients, but they can be useful in treating certain types of anxiety and depression The more recent reversible MAOIs that are reversible like selegiline and moclobemide, are less harmful than the more irreversible MAOIs They are also more effective than older MAOIs at increasing the levels of monoamines that are involved in depressive disorders They are less likely than older MAOIs to trigger high blood pressure, however they still have a chance of developing pharmacological dependency Buspirone Combining therapy with medication is the most effective way to manage anxiety The use of medication can ease symptoms but only under the supervision of a doctor There are a variety of medications for anxiety, and they work differently in each person Talk to your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing and he'll prescribe the right medication for you Buspirone is an FDA-approved drug, works by modulating neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine This can help reduce anxiety and mood symptoms, but it doesn't cause sedation or hinder cognitive functioning It is less likely to be more habit-forming than other sedatives, like benzodiazepines This makes it a good option for people looking to manage their anxiety but don't wish to use drugs such as Xanax SSRIs and SNRIs are typically the first option for treating generalized anxiety disorder GAD These antidepressants can regulate mood and increase serotonin levels These are often prescribed along with anxiety medications like benzodiazepines They are not usually prescribed for prolonged periods of time because they can be addictive and cause side effects such as drowsiness In addition to the use of medication and psychological treatments, psychological treatments for GAD have been shown to be efficient in the short-term and can improve outcomes over time These include cognitive behavioural therapy CBT as well as exposure therapy, and art or creative therapies Psychological therapy can assist people develop strategies to manage depression and anxiety This can allow them to live a fuller life and reduce symptoms Many of these treatments are accessible on the internet, and some might be covered by your insurance Brightside is one example It is an online therapy program that provides CBT and other anxiety and depression treatments