Why Not Take Anti
Medication as the first line of treatment for anxiety feels great. It’s just the later down-the-line results that can prove to be significantly problematic.
The growing awareness of the dangers of taking opioid medications for physical pain gives an important perspective on the downsides of anxiety-pain pills.
Twenty years ago, physician Russell Portenoy, a prominent New York pain specialist, spearheaded the movement that encouraged doctors to prescribe painkiller medications. This movement helped many suffering patients and at the same time was based on naivete with regard to the dangers of addiction.
Now Portenoy has come full circle. He has become a leader in warning physicians and the general public of the addictive potential of painkillers. For brief acute pain like when someone is recovering from a surgery, painkillers pose less addiction risk. For on-going long-term problems, addiction is a major issue. The high from these drugs, and the body’s craving for the drugs, takes over.
The Wall Street Journal reported back in December 2012 that 16,500 people die of overdoses annually from pain medications, more than from all illegal drugs combined. Opioid use has only increased since that time. Like Dr. Portenoy, many doctors by now have dramatically decreased the frequency with which they prescribe opioid pills to quell physical pain.
I Need Relief And I Need It Now
So where does that leave you if youre suffering? Even when anxiety relief comes with side effects and dangers, that can still sound like a fair trade when panic and fear are ruling your life.
The bottom line is that theres a time and place for anxiety medication. If you have severe anxiety thats interfering with your ability to function, medication may be helpfulespecially as a short-term treatment. However, many people use anti-anxiety medication when therapy, exercise, or other self-help strategies would work just as well or better, minus the drawbacks.
Anxiety medications can ease symptoms, but theyre not right for everyone and theyre not the only answer. Its up to you to evaluate your options and decide whats best for you.
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When Should You Take Beta
Its usually prescribed for high blood pressure and other heart problems, but it can also help with the physical signs of anxiety, like sweating and shaking. Your very first dose of propranolol may make you feel dizzy, so take it at bedtime. After that, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take it in the morning.
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Side Effects Of Anxiety Medications
Just as it is important to know about how the different types of medications can help, it is also important to be aware of possible side effects.
All medications have some side effects, although not all people have difficulty taking medications. Some may not feel side effects at all, others may have only mild side effects, and some may find the side effects disappear after a few weeks. You will need to weight the benefits of taking the medication to the potential for side effects.
Some of the common side effects of benzodiazepines:
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Clumsiness and inability to react quickly
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Forgetfulness, loss of memory, impaired judgment, confusion
Some of the common side effects of beta-blockers:
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Light-headedness or dizziness
Again, each person may experience side effects differently and each type of medication may have many different side effects. Do some research on the medication you have been prescribed so you know what to expect.
What Are Anxiety Disorders
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Anxiety disorders affect 31.9 percent of people between the ages of 13 and 18, and women are twice as likely to develop an anxiety disorder as men. Common examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, substance-induced anxiety disorder and specific phobias.
An anxiety disorder does more than make you anxious. They can affect your entire life. Plus, untreated anxiety can lead to other mental health disorders and physical conditions, Alonzo said. We have no way of predicting what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder. However, you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms such as getting help from a health care professional early and avoiding the use of non-prescribed drugs and alcohol.
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Symptoms Of Xanax Misuse And Abuse
- Sleeping excessively but always feeling tired
- Stomach pain/vomiting
Xanax becomes lethal when mixed with other substances that depress the central nervous system. Drinking alcohol or using a narcotic painkiller like opioids while also on Xanax can cause the user to fall asleep and never wake up. The breath becomes so slow and theres a risk of respiratory arrest, leading to overdose death.
You’ve Been Feeling It Physically
Anxiety can truly take a toll on your physical health, often causing all sorts of painful and annoying symptoms. Think along the lines of nausea, stomachaches, headaches, and even heart palpitations. When it reaches this level, psychologist Dr. Joshua Klapow recommends thinking about medication. If you find the right treatment, it can offer some much-needed relief.
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Do I Need This Treatment
A certain amount of anxiety or insomnia is a normal reaction to what is happening in your life. You may worry or feel stressed, and sometimes these feelings can keep you up at night. Most often, these feelings pass and are not a problem. However, these feelings can become a problem when they continue over a longer term, cause severe distress, make you feel physically ill and affect your behaviour. This kind of anxiety may be triggered by a challenging life event. It can also be a symptom of a mental health problem.
The ability to fall asleep and to sleep through the night can be affected by many types of health problems. These include physical conditions that cause pain or trouble breathing, as well as mental health problems. When sleep is disrupted, health can be further affected.
While each situation is unique and different treatment approaches may be called for, benzodiazepines can help to provide relief.
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Escitalopram May Cause Side Effects Tell Your Doctor If Any Of These Symptoms Are Severe Or Do Not Go Away:
- difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- increased sweating
- problems with thinking, concentration, or memory
- difficult or painful urination
Escitalopram may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone .
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How Can I Get Anxiety Medication
In order to take anxiety medication, you need a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional. Depending on the medication, you may be able to meet with a provider through telehealth. Some medications can be safely prescribed this way.
Because benzodiazepines are a controlled substance, they must be prescribed during an in-person visit.5,6 There are some exceptions to this, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can ask your provider what meeting formats, either telehealth or in-person, are available.
Personalize Your Treatment Plan
If your clinician recommends an anti-anxiety medication, ask if pharmacogenetic testing can help personalize your treatment plan based on your genes.
Pharmacogenetic testing with Genomind, for example, looks at 24 genes related to mental health treatment. It provides guidance across 10+ mental health conditions, including anxiety, and 130+ medications to help clinicians determine:
- Which medications may be more likely to be effective
- Which medications may have side effects
- How you metabolize medications for personalized dosing guidance
The Genomind test requires a prescription. Wondering if it can help you? Learn more about Genomind here.
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In Sum Should You Use Medications For Anxiety
Ending worry habits and utilizing the other non-pill psychotherapy techniques listed above generally can quell anxious feelings without your needing to resort to drugs. Use medications as a last resort.
For phobias, PTSD, chronic anxiety, and social anxiety, I recommend acupoint tappingalso called Emotional Freedom Technique or else Emotion Code.
For anxiety arising from a clear problem that you see ahead, start by using the following recipe:
For the problem-solving sequence above it can be helpful to talk with a friend or relative about the problem. Two are better than one for generating new ideas about a strategy for dealing with tough situations.
So next time you feel anxious, aim first and foremost to relieve your anxiety by addressing the anxiety-engendering problem. This strategy will reap additional bonuses. Find the blessing in the curse by gaining deepened self-understanding, self-acceptance, and psychological wisdom. Go for it!
Susan Heitler, educated at Harvard and NYU, trains therapists across the U.S. in anxiety therapy techniques and authored Prescriptions Without Pills.
The Role Of Medication In Anxiety Treatment
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When youre overwhelmed by heart-pounding panic, paralyzed by fear, or exhausted from yet another sleepless night spent worrying, youll do just about anything to get relief. And theres no question that when anxiety is disabling, medication may help. But are drugs always the best answer?
Many different types of medications are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including traditional anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines and newer options like SSRI antidepressants . These drugs can provide temporary relief, but they also come with side effects and safety concernssome significant.
They are also not a cure. In fact, there are many questions about their long-term effectiveness. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, benzodiazepines lose their therapeutic anti-anxiety effect after 4 to 6 months of regular use. And a recent analysis reported in JAMA Psychiatry found that the effectiveness of SSRIs in treating anxiety has been overestimated, and in some cases is no better than placebo.
Whats more, it can be very difficult to get off anxiety medications without difficult withdrawals, including rebound anxiety that can be worse than your original problem.
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Medication For Anxiety And Depression
There are many medications for anxiety and depression that are available for patients experiencing both disorders.
Danielle Plummer, Pharm.D., says that antidepressants can treat panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobias. Dr. Shelton adds that the medications are also somewhat effective for OCD, and less so for PTSD, which are technically not anxiety disorders.
Dr. Plummer says that the treatment depends on which anxiety disorder a patient has. For generalized anxiety disorder , both SSRIs and SNRIs are first in line, she says. She added that the most commonly prescribed medications to treat both depression and anxiety are SSRIs and SNRIs.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of medications that have a broad therapeutic range. They can be used to treat some anxiety disorders, depression, or, in some cases, both at the same time. SSRIsblock the reuptake, or reabsorption, of serotonin. As a result, SSRIs increase serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are a class of medication that are similar to SSRIs because they too inhibit reuptake and increase the level of serotonin. Unlike SSRIs, they also increase norepinephrine, which is considered a component of our brains stress response.
You Can No Longer Concentrate
If you feel like your brain is scattered due to your anxiety, medication can help. “Concentration difficulties happen when anxiety is present,”psychologist Dr. Christopher Barnes, LP tells Bustle. “If you think about it, if most of your cognitive energy is going towards worry overthinking, … you have less energy to actually focus on things.” And that’s not something you have to deal with.
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Foods That Help Or Hurt Anxiety
There are several types of medications used to treat anxiety disorders.
Within each of these categories, there are subgroups of drugs that work differently and have their own benefits, risks, and possible side effects.
Theyre supereffective in treating anxiety disorders, says Beth Salcedo, MD, the medical director of the Ross Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders and a past board president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Its not known exactly how SSRIs work on serotonin to alleviate anxiety, says Dr. Salcedo, but what is known is that theyre not addictive like benzodiazepines are .
Its important to follow your doctors instructions when taking any prescription drug. Talk to your doctor if youre concerned about the side effects of a medication, or if the drug youre taking doesn’t seem to be alleviating your symptoms.
Other antidepressants that may be prescribed for anxiety include:
- Wellbutrin, Zyban, Aplenzin, Budeprion, or Buproban
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as Amitid, Amitril, Elavil, or Endep Aventyl, Pamelor or Tofranil
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Speaking With A Professional
A mental health professional can help you identify the specific coping strategy and lifestyle changes that can help you manage your symptoms. Although it can be difficult, make sure to be as honest as possible about the symptoms and challenges that you face. Together, you and your mental health professional can work toward developing customized coping strategies.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctors appointment.
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When Does Anxiety Need Psychotherapy Treatment
Sustained anxiety occurs when:
- the anxiety gets stronger and stronger because you are not yet moving forward to gather information and find solutions to the problem
- worryingthat is, repeated worst-case-scenario “what if” thoughtskeeps fanning the anxiety flames
- an earlier incident or prolonged difficult time in your life left your amygdala chronically aroused, leaving you prone to hyper-emotional responses to minor negative events and/or chronically feeling on alert for something bad to happen.
With All These Options How Can You Choose
Your doctor can recommend the best medication to help control your anxiety. There are different types of anxiety disorders, so different medications may be better choices for your type. Your doctor will also consider your other health conditions and medications, and whether you have a family history of responding better to a certain medication. Since you might be taking medication long-term, you may want to factor in affordability.
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What Can You Do In Addition To Taking Medication
There are additional steps you can take to help manage your anxiety while on medication. Meditation for anxiety is an effective tool for helping to decrease anxiety and improve your mood and overall wellbeing.11 You can practice meditation by attending a class, listening to a guided video, exploring a meditation app, or just finding a quiet place to sit and focus on your breathing. A moderate amount of regular exercise has been well-documented to both help with anxiety symptoms and to reduce their emergence.
Do Over The Counter Anxiety Meds Exist
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There are no FDA-approved medications for anxiety that are available over-the-counter, but studies have been done on various natural remedies for anxiety that may be helpful in conjunction with medication or on their own.
Supplements like kava, passionflower, and magnesium may be helpful.8 Research has looked at the benefits of CBD for anxiety, but has found mixed results.9 Always speak to your doctor before taking any supplements, as they could negatively interact with certain medications.
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Should I Take Medication For My Anxiety Depression Or Ocd
There are many factors to consider when answering this question. Some clients are adamant that they dont want to take medication. Others are open to medication but have various concerns. They may know someone who has experienced a negative response to medication or they themselves may have experienced a negative response. They may voice the following specific thoughts or concerns: My symptoms might get worse. I dont want to be on medication for the rest of my life. I dont like taking any medicine. Medication is a crutch. I dont want to deal with the possible side effects of medication. Ive tried medicine before and it didnt work. Or, I might become addicted to the medicine. These are all very valid concerns. So, how do you decide?
Research has shown that treating anxiety, depression, and OCD with medication only is not as effective as the combination of medication and therapy. The symptoms of mental health issues alert us to the fact that our body, brain, and mind are out of balance and significant changes need to be made. Treating our emotional difficulties with medication alone fails to address the wide-ranging complexity of what is happening and can be short sighted. But, how do we know when we need more than therapy? How do we know when taking medication is the best decision? The decision is one that needs to be informed and made on an individual basis!
Questions to Ask
How am I functioning on a daily basis?
Nervousness Can Feel Awful What Are The Pro And Cons Of Treatment Options
Anxiety feels highly unpleasant. Anxious feelings can torment you. They can feel as unbearable as physical pain. Drug companies recommend anti-anxiety pills. TV ads promulgate pills. Many physicians write a pill prescription as the best route to feeling calmer. In my clinical practice, by contrast, I find that non-pill treatment methods help in all but the most and chronic extreme cases. And they help without the downsides of anti-anxiety medications.
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