Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety medication can have the amazing effect of calming the nervous system and relaxing the whole body.  For all prescription medications, anxiety symptom sufferers are going to need a doctor’s prescription, and the majority of anxiety medications are only prescribed in conjunction with therapy sessions with a licensed professional.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to combating anxiety symptoms with medication.  The biggest advantage is that it offers fast relief, which means that as soon as the medication is taken(for some medications relief begins within minutes), the patient is going to find immediate relief from anxiety symptoms.  People suffering from chronic symptoms are going to find that this is a major boost in their lives. 

The disadvantage of using medication to control anxiety symptoms is that as long as the person is taking the medication they will be fine.  It can be very difficult to stop taking the medication because the anxiety symptoms will return soon after the medication is given up.

There are several different types of medications that are good for anxiety.  The most common one prescribed for anxiety symptoms are benzodiazepines which are better known by some of their brand names, for example Xanax and Valium.  These medications work well on those suffering from panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias and social phobias.  About 45% of people find near-immediate relief with these medications, so they are often the first pills that are prescribed.

Another very common medication that is prescribed for anxiety disorders is beta-blockers.  Beta-blockers are used to treat the physical symptoms of anxiety.  The advantage of using beta-blockers is that they are safe for the majority people.  Also, this type of medication is not addicting, so there won’t be any worries about withdrawal symptoms.  The purpose of beta-blockers is to relax the whole body including the heart.  They will also reduce a patient’s blood pressure, and take away a lot of the anxiety symptoms.

There are several other types of anxiety medications that are commonly used to treat anxiety symptoms including antidepressants, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) and tranquilizers.  Depending on the type of anxiety disorder that a person is suffering from and the severity of the anxiety symptoms, one or more of these medications may be prescribed.  Some drugs are only used as a last resort, as the withdrawal symptoms can be as devastating as actually suffering from the anxiety symptoms in the first place. 

Patients who want to see if anxiety medication will help their anxiety sypmtoms should definitely talk to their doctor.  It is important to follow all of the indications and drug warnings.