It's normal to worry, feel preoccupied or nervous about big decisions or a problem in a relationship or at work. If these feelings interfere with your daily life, it's possible you may be suffering from anxiety symptoms that may require medical and/or psychotherapeutic intervention. Approximately 40 million American adults suffer from an anxiety disorder in any given year, according to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "Underlying anxiety" describes anxiety symptoms where the disorder is not immediately obvious, such as when a more prominent issue is present like substance abuse or a suspected medical condition.
Beta-Blocker Medications
Beta-blocker medications are used as anxiety medications to help reduce the body's physical response to anxiety. Propranolol and atenolol are both beta-blocker medications used to treat anxiety symptoms like breathlessness, rapid heartbeat, feeling "jumpy" and feeling chest fullness.
Anti-Anxiety Medications
Anti-anxiety or anxiolytic medications (also referred to as "tranquilizers") are the most commonly prescribed, fast-acting medications for anxiety symptoms but may not be initially considered if there are more prominent medical or behavioral symptoms clouding the presentation of underlying anxiety. If underlying anxiety manifests as physical symptoms or difficulty sleeping, these medications can help make the symptoms manageable. These medications are prescribed to help minimize anxiety enough to fully participate in the psychotherapy necessary to explore the causes and potential remedies for your underlying anxiety. Clonazepam, alprazolam and buspirone are examples of this type of medication.
Antidepressant Medications
Antidepressant medications take longer to build up enough to feel like they are actually working to minimize anxiety symptoms. As such, they are often considered as underlying anxiety symptoms become more prominent, and the health care provider and patient can discern clearly what condition is the root cause. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are one form of antidepressants used for anxiety. Eescitalopram, sertraline and paroxetine are examples of SSRIs. Imipramine and clomipramine are examples of tricyclic medications; another class of antidepressants used to treat anxiety. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are the oldest type of antidepressant medication used to treat anxiety disorders and symptoms. Examples of this class are phenelzine, tranylcypromine and isocarboxazid.
