When treating anxiety, many psychiatrists reach for benzodiazepines, a class of anti-anxiety drugs.These drugs include Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam).However, options for treatment include drugs not originally created for anxiety relief.

Certain classes of antidepressants are also prescribed to treat anxiety, though they were initially designed to treat depression.Antidepressants are different from anti-anxiety drugs in many ways.Antidepressants have a smaller risk of dependency and abuse.They also take longer to start (4 to 6 weeks) and cannot be used for sudden onset of symptoms like benzodiazepines can.

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are antidepressant drugs most commonly prescribed for anxiety.These include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and Lexapro.SSRIs can treat generalized anxiety disorder as well as more serious anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).Side effects include weight gain, stomach upset and nausea, sexual problems, sleepiness and dizziness, nervousness, and headaches.Even more serious side effects can occur, such as the possibility of suicidal thoughts, hostility, and aggression.As with benzodiazepines, sometimes depression and anxiety symptoms are increased with antidepressants.

A look at the mechanism of SSRIs. This class of antidepressants attempts correct the chemical imbalance involving serotonin by making more of the neurotransmitter available to the receptor sites of the post-synaptic nerve.

Buspirone (BuSpar) is a newer anti-anxiety drug that acts like an SSRI by increasing serotonin in the brain (subsequently reducing brain activity).BuSpar also reduces dopamine, a neurotransmitter (also a medicated substance) that increases heart rate and blood pressure.It starts working in half the time of antidepressant drugs, and lacks many of the side effects of anti-anxiety drugs, such as sedation.BuSpar also doesn’t cause loss of memory or coordination and is not habit-forming, two problems with drugs such as Ativan.BuSpar’s effectiveness limited to generalized anxiety disorder.

Since prolonged anxiety can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems, beta blockers are sometimes prescribed to treat these problems.They also help deal with physical symptoms of anxiety, such as dizziness, sweating, trembling voice, and rapid heart rate.Beta blockers are best for phobias.Side effects of beta blocker use include nausea, sleepiness, lightheadedness, and a very slow pulse

Talk with your psychiatrist. He or she will ask you a series of questions and may conduct some physical tests to determine which medication, if any, is necessary.Remember to be patient as some drugs take several weeks to go into effect.However, it is important to let your doctor know if you don’t feel that your medication is working or if you feel that it is causing adverse effects.You may have to switch to another prescription within the same class of drugs or to an entirely different class altogether.