Find the Approach That's Right for You
Counseling, or psychotherapy, often called “talk”
therapy, comes in many forms. Basically, it helps people develop new
ways to cope with problems, and to identify and understand more about
anxiety and how to avoid it in the future.
Antianxiety medicines work by helping to correct the imbalance of
certain important chemicals in the brain. These medicines may take
several weeks to be effective, but they work well and are generally
safe.
There are several types of medicines used to treat the symptoms of
general anxiety. The newest treatment option available is the class
of medicines known as SRIs (including Lexapro). These are currently
the most widely used medicines for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Azaspirones
These drugs work gradually over 2 to 4 weeks to relieve
symptoms of GAD. They do not make you drowsy or impair memory or balance.
They are also not habit forming and can be discontinued without causing
withdrawal symptoms. These drugs are generally well tolerated. When
there are side effects, they are not usually serious enough to make
most people stop taking them.
Benzodiazepines
Several drugs in this class are used to treat generalized
anxiety disorder (GAD). Some can also be used to treat panic disorder
and social phobia. These are relatively fast-acting drugs. Their principal
side effect is drowsiness, but they also have the potential to be
habit forming. People taking a benzodiazepine can experience a return
of their anxiety symptoms when the drug is discontinued. They may
also experience temporary withdrawal symptoms.
Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers reduce blood pressure and slow the heartbeat. This is
why they are used mainly to reduce certain anxiety symptoms like palpitations,
sweating, and tremors. They often are prescribed for people with social
phobia.
Tricyclics (TCAs)
These drugs were first used for treating depression, but
some are also effective in blocking panic attacks. Tricyclics generally
take 2 or 3 weeks to take effect. Some people feel the most
annoying side effect of these drugs is weight gain. Other side effects
include drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness and impaired sexual function.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
These drugs are used in the treatment of panic disorder,
social phobia, PTSD, and sometimes OCD. They require dietary restrictions,
and people taking an MAO inhibitor must avoid other medications, wine
and beer, and food such as certain cheeses. Some doctors prefer to
try other treatments first before using MAOIs.
Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SRIs)
SRIs are used to treat depression and anxiety as well as
panic disorder, and they are often effective in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD). They have a great safety record and have convenient
dosing, which has made them among the most widely used drugs in the
world. The most common side effect, which tends to resolve over time,
is mild nausea. Sexual dysfunction, primarily ejaculatory delay, also
has been reported. There are 2 types of SRIs — selective
serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin-norepinephrine
reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Both of these work by correcting the imbalance
of brain chemicals that is believed to be the underlying cause of
both depression and anxiety disorders.
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