If a person experiences significant and extended anxiety, several diagnoses are possible--including generalized anxiety disorder (commonly known as GAD), social phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the American Psychiatric Association. Common to these disorders are feelings of worry, dread or fear that feel incapacitating. Treatments can include therapy, such as a behavioral exposure therapy, and several classes of medications. Medications don't cure anxiety disorders but help to alleviate and manage symptoms, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines constitute the most popular class of drugs prescribed for anxiety, whether formally diagnosed as a disorder or provoked by a situational stressor, such as an illness. Fast acting, they don't require a buildup in the blood to take effect like antidepressants do, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. They enhance the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitters in the brain, according to the University of Maryland's Center for Substance Abuse Research. Most clear the bloodstream within 24 hours. Popular benzodiazepines include clonazepam (Klonipin), aprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan).
Habit formation can occur when taking benzodiazepines with long-term use. Therefore, physicians only prescribe it for short-term use, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers--commonly used for heart conditions--can also control anxiety symptoms, according to the National Institute of Health. They inhibit the production of adrenalin in the body. People with social phobia, for example, may take a beta blocker before giving a speech to help control symptoms. Propranolol (Inderal) and oxprenolol (Trasicor) are commonly prescribed beta blockers for anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Azapirones
The mechanism of azapirone drugs remains unclear but may work by activating a certain kind of brain receptor for serotonin, according to rxlist.com. Buspirone (Buspar) and tandospirone (Sediel) treat generalized anxiety disorder. Unlike benzodiazepines, azapirone medications must build up in the bloodstream for at least two weeks to take effect.
Serotonin-Activating Antidepressants
Many antidepressants, although originally developed to treat depression, have demonstrated effectiveness for some cases of anxiety. Paradoxically, though, these medications can sometimes actually worsen anxiety. The drugs also require four to six weeks to build up in the blood before becoming effective, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The Food and Drug Administration has approved certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, for the treatment of specific anxiety disorders. These drugs increase the amount of circulating serotonin in the brain. Commonly used SSRIs for panic disorder, OCD, PTSD and social phobia include paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and escitalopram (Lexapro). Venlafaxine (Effexor), a closely related drug, can treat GAD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and received FDA approval to treat panic disorder.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders"; American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
- National Institute of Mental Health: Mental Health Medications
- Mayo Clinic: Social Anxiety Disorder -- Treatment and Drugs
- rxlist: Buspar
- University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research: Benzodiazepines
