When a patient has an anxiety disorder, she has uncontrolled worry, which impacts her mental health. Anxiety Disorders Association of America states that a person can be diagnosed with one of five types of anxiety disorders. Each anxiety disorder has different symptoms and specific treatments, which include medications.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration notes that a person is diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder after six months of symptoms, though the diagnosis may be made sooner if the symptoms are severe. One group of medication used for generalized anxiety disorder is antidepressants, which increase levels of mood neurotransmitters. For example, a patient may use a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, like sertraline, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, escitalopram or fluvoxamine. Another option is tricyclic antidepressants, such as nortriptyline, desipramine and imipramine. Other options of antidepressants include serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, such as duloxetine and venlafaxine; and tetracyclic antidepressants, like trazodone and mirtazapine.
A patient with generalized anxiety disorder has medication options other than antidepressants. These include buspirone, benzodiazepines and hydroxyzine, an antihistamine. Benzodiazepines, like lorazepam, alprazolam and diazepam, are used on the short term, since they can be addictive.
Phobias
A person with a phobia has an unrealistic worry about a particular item or situation. A type of phobia is social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, in which the patient has a severe fear of being in social situations. A phobia patient also receives selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tetracyclic antidepressants, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines. The patient may use monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as isocarboxid, phenelzine or tranylcypromide.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a two-part anxiety disorder: The patient has invasive thoughts, uncontrollable behaviors or both. Medication options for this anxiety disorder include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and tetracyclic antidepressants. The patient may also use clomiprimine, the only tricyclic antidepressant approved for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
This type of anxiety disorder is brought on by a traumatic event, such as war. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressant and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are options for post-traumatic stress disorder treatment. The ADAA notes that sparse data is available on the effectiveness of serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and tetracyclic antidepressant in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. Alpha blockers, like prazosin, treat the nightmares of the disorder.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder causes the patient to have anxiety attacks and leaves him in constant worry another attack will occur. Medication options for panic disorder are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, tetracyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines. The patient may take a beta blocker, like atenolol, which treats the physical symptoms of the disorder.
