Feeling anxious? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, that's a good thing in some ways. Anxiety can help you stay focused in a tense situation, and it's a normal reaction to stress. But when anxiety goes overboard into a serious problem such as panic disorder or post traumatic stress disorder, you may need medication to help you get back on a more even keel. The problem is, most medications have side effects, and some medications used in the treatment of anxiety can cause weight gain.
Medications Used to Treat Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are usually treated with three classes of medications: antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and beta blockers. Prozac, Celexa, and Lexapro are examples of antidepressants that belong to a class of medications known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Other antidepressants like Effexor and Cymbalta are similar to SSRIs in some ways, but they are considered a different class of medication: Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors, or SNRIs. Welbutrin is an antidepressant that is in a class of its own. Benzodiazepines, such as Klonopin, Ativan and Xanax, are commonly used anti-anxiety medications. Inderal, a beta-blocker, is normally used for heart conditions and high blood pressure, but it can help to control the physical symptoms associated with anxiety, like a rapid heartbeat. Inderal may be used for specific situations that are unusually stressful, like speaking in public.
Side Effects
The side effects from each group of medicines have some similarities and some differences. For example, benzodiazepines and beta-blockers can both cause dizziness, but beta-blockers can also cause cold hands and feet, while benzodiazepines can make you sleepy. SSRIs are the one class of medications used in anxiety management that affect weight; they tend to cause weight loss initially, but then cause weight gain.
The Research
According to a study published by a research team from the Paris hospital Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, in the July-August 2005 issue of the French medical journal "Encephale," appetite and eating are an extremely complex process involving neurotransmitters, hormones and other modulators on the brain. The authors note that it is difficult to determine exactly what the effect of each medication is, but speculate that medications may interfere with the regulation of energy balance, increase appetite for certain kinds of foods or trigger food cravings, or increase the metabolic rate, which SSRIs appear to do. Genetic predisposition, they say, may also be a factor.
Considerations and Warnings
Severe anxiety is best managed by a health-care professional who is experienced in the use of the medications that may be used in its treatment, but it is also very important that patients report any possible side effects. Stopping these medications abruptly can also cause significant symptoms and even increase the potential for suicide, so be sure to keep the lines of communication open.
References
- "Encephale"; Psychotropic Drugs Induced Weight Gain: A Review of the Literature Concerning Epidemiological Data, Mechanisms and Management; O. Ruetsch, A. Viala, H. Bardou, P. Martin, M.N.Vacheron; July-August 2005
- National Institute of Mental Health: Anxiety Disorders
- University of Maryland; Mental Health Medications; Harvey Simon, M.D., David Zieve, M.D.; January 2009
