Anxiety disorders aren’t at all rare. In fact, 19.1% of U.S. adults experienced an anxiety disorder within the past year. And according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 31.1% of U.S. adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
That’s a lot of us dealing with anxiety at any given moment.
The good news about anxiety is that it is treatable. There are several treatment options, including anxiety disorder medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, and helpful tools like mindfulness and medication.
You may be on the fence about committing to taking anxiety treatment medications. Perhaps you’re concerned about the potential side effects. Maybe the thought of taking something every day is overwhelming to you.
Think of it this way: if you could feel better and free yourself from the adverse effects of anxiety on your everyday life, wouldn’t it be worth it to at least educate yourself on the positive outcomes anxiety disorder medications can provide?
We’ll help you out by delving into what you need to know about anxiety treatment medications so you can be well informed to make the best decision for yourself.
Anxiety Treatment in San Diego
Understanding Anxiety and Its Impact On Your Mental Health
Anxiety is a complex condition that can have a profound impact on your mental health and overall well-being. At its core, anxiety is your body’s natural response to perceived threats or stressful situations. When they occur (or at least when your body thinks they do), it triggers a cascade of physiological and psychological reactions.
Anxiety is entirely natural.
Until it takes over and becomes persistent, overwhelming, and interferes with daily life. If that’s the case, what is typically your body’s natural response to danger has evolved into a debilitating mental health disorder.
Struggling with anxiety means you experience a heightened sense of worry, fear, and dread, accompanied by physical symptoms like a rapid heartbeat, sweating, and muscle tension. Additionally, anxiety can also cause difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and a general sense of unease.
So, basically, it disrupts every aspect of your life.
But there is hope. Taking a holistic approach to treating anxiety, meaning addressing every part of you to reduce symptoms and help you feel better, is the best approach. And that includes considering anxiety treatment medications.
Different Types of Anxiety Disorder Medications
When it comes to managing anxiety, medication management can play a crucial role in providing relief and restoring balance to your body and mind. There are several types of anxiety treatment medications, each with a distinct way of helping to manage anxiety.
Benzodiazepines (Benzos)
Benzos are fast-acting medications that can provide immediate anxiety relief but have a high potential for addiction and abuse. The most commonly prescribed benzos include:
- Xanax (alprazolam)
- Valium (diazepam)
- Ativan (lorazepam)
- Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
These medications increase the effects of certain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, that relay messages between brain cells. Specifically, they target gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that causes a sedative effect. When benzos target GABA, it helps slow down your brain and promote a sense of calm.
Typically, they are used for short-term anxiety treatment because they are, unfortunately, habit-forming. Some researchers believe benzos are just as addictive as opioids and cannabinoids.
So, it’s important only to take this medication as directed by your clinician.
Benzos are most often prescribed to treat:
- panic disorder
- generalized anxiety disorder
- social anxiety disorder
Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
While SSRIs are a type of antidepressant, they can also be used if you struggle with anxiety or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The most commonly prescribed SSRIs include:
- Lexapro (escitalopram)
- Prozac (fluoxetine)
- Paxil (paroxetine)
- Zoloft (sertraline)
SSRIs increase serotonin levels in the brain and prevent the nerve cells from reabsorbing it. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sexual desire, appetite, sleep, and memory.
Usually, SSRIs are prescribed at a low dose and increased as your clinician sees fit. While they take a few weeks to take full effect, they aren’t habit-forming, which means you don’t have to worry about getting addicted to them.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
SNRIs are another type of antidepressant that can treat both depression and anxiety, as well as certain chronic pain conditions. While they are great at reducing anxiety symptoms, they aren’t effective in treating OCD.
The most commonly prescribed SNRIs include:
- Cymbalta (duloxetine)
- Effexor XR (venlafaxine)
SNRIs reduce the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine that gets reabsorbed into the brain.
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
TCAs were once used more often than they are now. Since SSRIs came on the scene, clinicians tend to prescribe them more often since they don’t have as many potential side effects. However, they can still be used to treat anxiety, especially if other forms of medication aren’t doing the trick.
Like SNRIs, TCAs block the reabsorption of serotonin and norepinephrine into the brain, thus increasing them. The most commonly prescribed TCAs include:
- Elavil (amitriptylinene)
- Tofranil (Imipramine)
- Pamelor (nortriptyline)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
MAOIs are most often used to treat panic disorder and social phobia. They help reduce symptoms by increasing the number of neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood. While they are FDA-approved to treat depression, they may also be used to treat anxiety. The most commonly prescribed MAOIs include:
- Nardil (phenelzine)
- Marplan (isocarboxazid)
- Parnate (tranylcypromine)
- Emsam (selegiline)
Buspirone
Oddly enough, how buspirone really works to treat anxiety, whether short-term or chronic, is somewhat of a mystery. However, experts believe it affects chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, that regulate mood. It takes several weeks for full effects and is prescribed generically or under the brand name Buspar.
Buspirone works more slowly than benzos and may not help with all types of anxiety, but it does have fewer side effects and does not have a high risk of dependency.
Beta-blockers
While beta-blockers are most commonly used to treat people with heart conditions and high blood pressure, they may also be used to treat certain anxiety disorders.
Beta-blockers are used to relieve some of the physical symptoms of anxiety and reduce the effects of norepinephrine. The most commonly prescribed beta-blockers are:
- Tenormin (atenolol)
- Inderal (propranolol)
In the end, the best person to help you out in choosing an anxiety disorder medication is your clinician. Better yet, your mental health professional. At BOLD Health, we are physician-led and have the experience and expertise to help you in your journey to wellness. That’s why you can count on us for anxiety therapy in San Diego.
Trust BOLD Health for High-Quality Anxiety Treatment in San Diego
Anxiety disorder medications aren’t a given when battling anxiety. But they can definitely help. When you partner with BOLD Health for anxiety therapy in San Diego, you can bet we’ll take the time to get to know you genuinely and what makes you tick. We’ll discuss anxiety treatment options, including medication management, and explain how certain medications may benefit you.
Your anxiety treatment in San Diego at BOLD Health may include:
- individual therapy
- group therapy
- medication management
- intensive outpatient program (IOP)
Whether you’re interested in medication management for anxiety or not, it’s only a part of your anxiety treatment. The best way to beat anxiety is through a combination of therapy, medication management, lifestyle changes, and incorporating helpful tools like deep breathing and mindfulness.
If it all sounds overwhelming, we get it. But rest assured, we’ll be with you every step of the way, no matter how long it takes to get you feeling better!