Numerous individuals discover themselves moving to the rhythm of anxiety amidst the busy and harmonic composition of life. Anxiety is an omnipresent companion in the human experience, whether it manifests as the nerves before a big presentation or as a persistent concern about the future. Fortunately, there are drugs developed to assist us in finding balance within the broad spectrum of mental health treatment. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the drugs designed to calm the wild waves of anxiety and address some often voiced concerns over their use.
Table Of Contents
What Is Anxiety?
What Types of Medications Are Prescribed for Anxiety?
Who Prescribes Anxiety Medication?
What Does Being On Anxiety Medication Feel Like?
What Are the Common Side Effects of Anxiety Medication?
What Is Anxiety?
Fundamentally, anxiety is a normal reaction to stress or danger. The fight-or-flight reaction is the body’s method of preparing for a challenge by producing adrenaline. But worry turns from a useful ally into a dangerous enemy when it becomes overwhelming, persistent, and interferes with day-to-day functioning (Chand & Marwaha, 2023).
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that around 19.1% of American adults suffer from an anxiety condition of some kind (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). In addition, women experience anxiety at higher rates than men. As a result, specialists now support routine screening for anxiety disorders in girls 13 years of age and older as a necessary part of primary healthcare (Gregory et al., 2020).
Anxious people may have trouble focusing, feel tense and restless, and experience physical symptoms like tense muscles and disturbed sleep. While a certain amount of anxiety is acceptable, excessive and ongoing anxiety can harm a person’s quality of life (Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, 2023; MedlinePlus, 2023; SAMHSA, 2023).
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What Types of Medications Are Prescribed for Anxiety?
There are various categories into which anxiety medications can be divided, and each has a unique mode of action. In order to treat anxiety holistically, therapy