Anti Anxiety Medication (minor tranquilizers)
Psychiatric Drugs-Types, Side Effects
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Ativan - Photo: Nsaum75. Wikimedia Commons
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Most of the medications used to treat anxiety or promote sleep are classed as benzodiazepines, which include drugs such as Xanax and Valium, along with others.
Benzodiazepines are sometimes prescribed for those with bipolar disorder (manic depression) to help regulate sleep, to alleviate anxiety, and to help with extreme manic episodes.
Benzodiazepine medications all act to depress the central nervous system. Various medications in the family are used.
Anxiety - but not the type of anxiety brought about by everyday stresses and strains
Insomnia - short-term treatment only
Relieve or reduce muscle spasms
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Panic disorders
Epilepsy and other convulsive disorders
Above use list: About.com
Anti Anxiety Medication:
Generic: meprobamate
Trade Name: Miltown, Equanil (rarely used today).
Generic: diazepam
Trade Name: Valium
Generic: chlordiazepoxide
Librium
Generic: flurazepam
Dalmane
Generic: oxazepam
Serax
Generic: clorazepate
Tranxene
Generic:
alprazolam
Xanax
Generic: clonazepan
Klonopin
Generic: triazolan
Halcion
Generic: temazepan
Restoril
Generic: lorazepan
Ativan
Use: Nonpsychotic personality problems in which
anxiety, tension or panic attacks are prominent features; also used as aintcovulsants and as sleep-inducesrs (especially flurazepam, triazolan, and temazepan).
Effects and Side Effects:
Somewhat variable in achieving intended purpose of tension reduction. Used often to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Side effects include drowsiness and lethargy.
Recurrence rate is very high as one discontinues use of anti anxiety medication,
up to 80%.Benzodiazepines may be habit-forming, causing physical and/or mental dependence if taken over a long period of time or in high doses.
Withdrawal effects, especially if discontinued abruptly, can be severe. They may include:
Benzodiazepines may be habit-forming, causing physical and/or mental dependence if taken over a long period of time or in high doses. Withdrawal effects, especially if discontinued abruptly, can be severe. They may include:
Irritability; nervousness; trouble in sleeping (most common, even in slow withdrawal)
Abdominal or stomach cramps
Confusion
Fast or pounding heartbeat
Increased sense of hearing
Increased sensitivity to touch and pain
Increased sensitivity to light (eyes)
Increased sweating
Loss of sense of reality
Depression
Muscle cramps
Nausea / vomiting
Tingling, burning, or prickly sensations
Trembling / shaking
Confusion
Convulsions / seizures
Paranoia
Hallucinations
(About.com)
Withdrawal symptoms can be minimized by tapering the medication off slowly.
New anxiolytics
buspirone - Buspar
Description: BuSpar (buspirone hydrochloride tablets, USP) is an anti anxiety agent that is not chemically or pharmacologically related to the benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or other sedative/anxiolytic drugs.
Use: Generalized
anxiety disorder
Effects take 1-4 weeks to occur. Not useful in treating acute anxiety. Not addictive or sedating.
Barbiturates are used in treating symptoms of epilepsy and seizures, and in the past were used heavily for anxiety and sleep. They are still used at times for sleep. However, because of the high potential for addiction an overdoes, they are not used often for treating anxiety today.
Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers control some of the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as trembling and sweating. Propranolol (Inderal) is a beta-blocker usually used to treat heart conditions and high blood pressure. The medicine also helps people who have physical problems related to anxiety. For example, when a person with social phobia must face a stressful situation, such as giving a speech, or attending an important meeting, a doctor may prescribe a beta-blocker. Taking the medicine for a short period of time can help the person keep physical symptoms under control.
Hypnotic drugs are sleep medications. This prescription is used to treat several types of sleep problems - difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and waking up too early in the morning.
Some drugs in other categories, such as antidepressants, may also have a sedating effect.
Anti Anxiety Medications References:
1. Anti-Anxiety and Sedative Drugs. (Retrieved June 25, 2009). About.com.
2. Carson, C. C., Butcher, J. N., Mineka, S. (2000). Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life. Eleventh Edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. p. 635.
3. Medications to treat anxiety. (June 15, 2009). NIMH. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/mental-health-medications/what-medications-are-used-to-treat-anxiety-disorders.shtml
