About Anti-Anxiety Medication

Anxiety disorders occur in one out of every six adults in the United States. Medication, hospitalization and counseling costs total out at an estimated $22.84 billion dollars per year. Today's demanding lifestyles have taken a toll on our ability to cope with change and stress. The use of anti-anxiety medications is one of many treatment approaches used to lessen the symptoms of these disorders.

Identification

Anti-anxiety medications, or anxiolytics, are used to treat the symptoms and behaviors caused by anxiety disorders. Anti-depressant medications are also used in treatment, as depression can sometimes accompany these disorders. Medications used include benzodiaepines, beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors(MAOI), and serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRI). Each drug category affects a different part of the brain chemistry, and are administered according to the type of anxiety disorder being treated. As individual body chemistries differ, it's not uncommon for doctor's to try a trial-and-error approach before finding a drug that work with a patient's body chemistry.

Function

Anxiety disorders can occur as a result of a person's environment, psychological make-up, genetics, or body chemistry. Feelings of apprehension, uncertainty and fear are characteristic of these disorders. The anxiety response to a stimulus is experienced as more of a threat than it actually is. This response is involuntary, and overwhelming. The majority of people who suffer from this disorder have a high sensitivity to stress. Because of this, environmental stimuli affects them more intensely than someone with a lower sensitivity. Chemical imbalances in the brain are part of what causes the symptoms experienced with anxiety disorders. A person's thought processes contribute to the process as well. This accounts for why combined treatment approaches, using medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy, are so effective.

Types

Anxiety disorders vary according to severity and duration, and are grouped according to the symptoms they cause. People with generalized anxiety disorders exhibit mild symptoms that are ongoing. Those with panic disorders experience episodes of moderate to severe anxiety. The symptoms of phobia disorders occur when a particular stimulus is present. Those with obsessive compulsive disorder experience more severe symptoms that dramatically effect their behavior and lifestyle. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a more deep-seated anxiety where memories of traumatic experiences contribute to a person's symptoms and behaviors. Separation anxiety disorder happens most often in children who experience anxiety when separated from a parental figure.

Warning

Benzodiazepines, though effective, can be addictive and cause a person to become dependent on the drug. Taking them for long periods time causes the body to build a tolerance, resulting in the need for a higher dosage to get the same effects. Withdrawal reactions such as headache, sleeplessness, loss of appetite and anxiety are possible once a person stops taking them. To avoid these symptoms, the drug should be tapered off, so the body can adjust to lower levels of the drug in the system. Because of their addictive properties, doctors usually prescribe benzodiazepines for short term use.

Considerations

While anti-anxiety medications are an effective treatment for anxiety disorder, there are alternative treatment methods available. Aromatherapy has been used as a treatment approach to alleviate health problems that arise as a result of chronic anxiety. Plant oils, prepared according to specific formulas, create an aroma effect that's used to reduce symptoms caused by anxiety. Acupuncture is another form of treatment that works with the body's energy flow, or "Qi." By massaging pressure points on the body, negative energies are released, and the body's natural balance is restored. Feelings of anxiety and stress are said to be "released" as negative energy.

Resources

• Information on Anxiety & Anxiety Disorders
• Alternative Treatments for Anxiety Disorders