Besides anxiety and panic disorders, antianxiety drugs such as Buspar and benzodiazepines are given to reduce agitation and insomnia. According to the Mayo Clinic, the drugs are fast acting and effective, and are prescribed when a calming effect is needed for those who become agitated and fearful when presented with normal activities. Besides Buspar, antianxiety drugs include alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan) and others. Patients with certain disorders may find antianxiety drugs problematic. Some of those disorders are listed below.
Addictive Disorders
The National Institutes for Health states that antianxiety drugs should not be prescribed in the case of addictive personality disorders, because of the habit forming nature of the drugs. Even when other addictive indications aren't a factor, the drugs should not be prescribed over a long period of time because they may make the patient dependent.
Senile Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
Because antianxiety drugs can cause confusion, disorientation and forgetfulness, patients with disorders already prone to those maladies such as senile dementia or Alzheimer's should not receive antianxiety drugs. The manufacturers of antianxiety drugs warn against giving the drugs to the elderly or in combination with alcohol use.
Depression
A study funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health showed that adolescents given benzodiazepines were more likely to act out a suicidal ideation than those not taking antianxiety drugs. Although they speculate that the cause for increased suicidal activity may be that those taking antianxiety drugs along with antidepressants were more seriously ill, antianxiety drugs are contraindicated for adolescents suffering from depression.
Seizure Disorders
Those with seizure disorders may be susceptible to worsening of seizures if given antianxiety drugs. The combination of calming with seizure activity could combine to make the patient's condition more serious such as in status epilepticus, a life-threatening condition where the brain is in constant seizure state.
