Medications For Anxiety Disorder and Depression
Many people use medication to manage anxiety, but they're not the only solution. Exercise and psychotherapy can also be effective treatments.
Certain antidepressants, including SSRIs (citalopram, Lexapro, fluoxetine, Prozac, paroxetine, Zoloft) also treat anxiety. Other medications, such as histamine blockers, such as Vistaril (hydroxyzine), can also provide relief.
Antidepressants
Your doctor could prescribe medication to treat depression. Antidepressants, among the most frequently prescribed medications, come in many different types. The type of antidepressant your doctor prescribes will depend on your symptoms, other medical conditions and treatment goals.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are among the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. These drugs work by altering the way that brain nerve cells communicate. They work by increasing the number of neurotransmitters that are present in your brain, which helps improve your mood and reduces anxiety. It can take several weeks for antidepressants to begin working, so be patient.
Benzodiazepines can also be prescribed by your doctor to treat anxiety or depression. They are extremely fast-acting drugs and are used as a short-term solution to ease the immediate symptoms of depression and anxiety. The Benzodiazepines include lorazepam, alprazolam and others. They inhibit the actions of noradrenaline and adrenaline which are hormones that play a role in the body's fight or flight response.
Monoamine inhibitors of oxidase are a type of antidepressant that can also be effective in treating depression and anxiety. They're often reserved for people who don't respond to other antidepressants, and they require dietary changes to avoid hypertensive reactions that result from interactions with amino acids tyramine.
Inform your doctor if are taking an antidepressant with a prescription. This includes vitamins and supplements. You might need to reduce your dosage if you're using other medications that impact the way antidepressants function or if they trigger negative side effects. Contact a doctor immediately if have thoughts of suicide.
You might have different symptoms for depression and anxiety or you may have comorbid anxiety and depression. People with comorbid anxiety and depression have a worse medical prognosis compared to those who only have one disorder. Certain psychiatric drugs have been shown to be particularly effective in treating both disorders for those with comorbid anxiety and depression.
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines can relieve anxiety symptoms, like alprazolam, clonazepam and chlordiazepoxid diazepam and lorazepam. These medications work on the benzodiazepine-receptors of the central nervous system which are five transmembrane proteins that form a benzylchloride-channel at the center. The benzodiazepine-receptors also possess one that binds to the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma aminobutryic type A (GABA A). The benzodiazepines work by increasing the concentration of GABA-A, thereby decreasing muscle activity and relaxing the muscles.
The Benzodiazepines are famous for their rapid onset but also high risks of dependence and addiction. Antipsychotics and antidepressants, as well as anticonvulsants as well as buspirone are slower in the onset of action, however they are still better for long-term usage, since they do not produce dependence or tolerance.
Depression is often found to be a comorbidity of anxiety disorders, and antidepressants can help reduce the depressive symptoms caused by anxiety. However, many sufferers of depression suffer from a mix of depressive and anxious symptoms and will need the combination of medication and therapy to manage all their symptoms.
In these cases benzodiazepines are used for short periods of time to manage depression and anxiety symptoms until other medication takes effect. Typically, these drugs are prescribed for only a few weeks at a stretch and are not taken daily. These medications should not be used for long periods of time because they can trigger withdrawal symptoms such as shaking or difficulty sleeping.
If you're considering taking benzodiazepines, inform your doctor about any prior substance abuse or dependence issues as well as any other mental health problems you suffer from. Your doctor will be able to talk to you about possible side effects, and suggest other medications if needed to treat depression.
If you've never used benzodiazepines before, or if you are taking them in excess they could cause grave and sometimes fatal complications. If you are pregnant or nursing or have a history of liver disease, respiratory or digestive disorders or liver disease, your doctor might limit the duration of treatment or require lower doses. Alcohol can interact negatively with benzodiazepines, thereby increasing the risk of side-effects and dependence. You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking these medications.
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers can be used as an option to treat anxiety symptoms. They are a different type of drug than benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and block receptors that adrenaline binds to. generalized anxiety disorder reduce brain and nervous system activity. They can be used as an alternative to benzodiazepines, which are more addictive and have an increased risk of dependency.
Beta blockers are often prescribed to treat heart problems and may be beneficial in treating anxiety as they lower blood pressure and slow down the heart rate. They are not FDA-approved to treat anxiety disorder. They are prescribed "off-label" to treat anxiety disorders. They are an excellent alternative when other antianxiety medications aren't working or have undesirable adverse negative effects. They are especially effective in situations of performance anxiety and social anxiety, in which physical symptoms can be experienced when an event triggers anxiety.
They can also be employed in conjunction with other treatment options like CBT or SSRIs. They are particularly effective as an alternative therapy for those suffering from GAD. GAD is characterized by constant and recurring anxiety that affects daily activities. They can also be helpful in managing the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as an increased heart rate or sweating.
Beta-blockers may help manage physical symptoms of anxiety but they do not address underlying psychological issues which contribute to the condition. They are recommended as a complement to other treatments such as SSRIs and benzodiazepines. It is important to discuss your medical history as well as any other health issues with your physician prior to taking beta-blockers.
The use of these medications is associated with a decrease in psychiatric hospitalisations and suicidal behaviour, but the results vary by specific psychiatric diagnosis and the psychiatric history of the past. In certain patients, they may also increase the risk of having cardiovascular events.
There are some natural products that have beta-blocker properties, however they aren't as effective as prescription drugs. They include antioxidants as well as saffron, garlic and potassium. These natural ingredients aren't entirely comprehended. Certain of these products can cause serious side-effects, so it is best to consult with a physician before taking them.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) work by changing the way your brain works. They interfere with an enzyme known as monoamine oxide that breaks down chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine and other chemical compounds that let brain cells to communicate with one another. By blocking monoamine oxidase MAOIs keep more chemical messengers in your brain, which elevates your mood through improved brain cell communication.
These drugs are also effective in treating anxiety disorders . This includes agoraphobia mixed depression and anxiety states. However, they are less effective in pure anxiety states and might not help with panic attacks. The effectiveness of MAOIs is due to the fact that they increase levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain. These neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the body are released into the bloodstream, where they are transported to nerve cells and function as messengers.
The first antidepressant to be developed in the 1950s was Iproniazid, which blocked monoamine oxidase. This led to the development of other MAOIs such as tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, and fluoxetine, that are known to treat depression. MAOIs are usually prescribed after other types of antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, have been tried without success. Because they can cause interactions with food and drugs, and could cause serious withdrawal syndrome if stopped suddenly, MAOIs are typically only used for patients who fail to respond to other treatments.
A newer type of MAOI, dubbed a selective and irreversible MAO-A inhibitor, is being investigated for use in treating resistant depression. It is not recommended for use in bipolar disorder because it could trigger manic symptoms. Another newer MAOI, called selegiline (Eldepryl or Zelapar) is being researched for treatment of Parkinson's disease. It blocks monoamine oxidase, but it does not affect other enzymes that break down levodopa, the primary treatment for Parkinson's. These drugs can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other antidepressants. In certain patients, the MAOIs could cause a reaction that results in increased neuromuscular excitability and hyper-reflexia. This may manifest as muscle twitching, eyelid twitching, and other signs. These reactions are more prevalent when these medications are taken together with certain foods like aged cheeses and cured meats.