According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 40 million adults in the United States (about 18 percent) suffer from anxiety disorders every year. There are six different types of disorders and accompanying symptoms: panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia or social anxiety disorder, specific phobias (i.e. claustrophobia) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Treatment for anxiety disorders generally involves medication and psychotherapy. There are three types of medications used to treat anxiety disorders. Although not a cure, they can help to control a person's symptoms and improve coping on a day-to-day basis.
Antidepressant Medications
There are three classes of antidepressants used in the treatment of anxiety symptoms: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Eescitalopram, sertraline and paroxetine are newer medications and used for the OCD, panic disorder and social phobia versions of anxiety disorder. Tricyclics are another class of antidepressant medications used for anxiety disorders other than OCD. These include medications that have been around for awhile like imipramine and clomipramine. A third class of antidepressant medicatons used to treat anxiety disorders are called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs are the oldest type of antidepressant medications. Phenelzine, tranylcypromine and isocarboxazid are the most commonly prescribed for anxiety disorders.
Anti-anxiety Medications
Anti-anxiety or "anxiolytic" medications are generally benzodiazepines and are prescribed over a brief treatment period. Buspirone is a newer anxiolytic medication used to treat GAD. Other examples of benzodiazepines are clonazepam, which is used for social phobia and GAD, and alprazolam, which is prescribed for panic disorder and GAD.
Beta-blocker Medications
Beta-blocker medications work to block the physical symptoms that accompany anxiety disorders. These types of medications work by short-circuiting the brain's anxious response, preventing the feelings of fear and dread that often trigger the disorder's symptoms. Beta-blockers are most helpful to treat social phobia and include propranolol and atenolol.
