Alester Brown

7 Most Common Medications for Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most diagnosed mental health issues in the United States. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, over 40 million adults have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can be debilitating, affecting your mental health and impacting your daily life in many ways.

Fortunately, there are many ways to treat it. Many health care providers recommend anxiety medications. Here are some of the most commonly prescribed drugs that can help people overcome anxiety.

Gabapentin

Gabapentin is a drug that helps with nerve pain. It's commonly used as an anti-seizure medication. However, many providers also utilize it as an off-label anxiety treatment.

The drug can help calm neurons in the brain. As a result, it acts as a mood stabilizer and antidepressant.

Trazodone Hydrochloride

This medication is a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor. Many providers use it to treat major depressive disorders. The drug reduces the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. It affects the neurotransmitters associated with arousal or excitement, making it a suitable choice for anxiety management.

Bupropion XL

Bupropion XL is a medication that serves many purposes. Like other drugs, it's a powerful antidepressant that boosts the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. Many physicians also prescribe it for smoking cessation.

Alprazolam

Alprazolam is a type of benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines affect the central nervous system to produce a calming effect. It's a common treatment for anxiety and panic disorders.

Duloxetine Hydrochloride

Your doctor may prescribe Duloxetine hydrochloride to treat anxiety. It's often a part of treatment plans for depression and general anxiety disorder(GAD). The drug helps to increase the amount of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain.

Buspirone Hydrochloride

Buspirone hydrochloride belongs to the anxiolytics class of drugs. Anxiolytics are common in treating GAD because they help balance dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain.

Clonazepam

Here's another medication that helps control seizures. But like Gabapentin, it has an off-label use for anxiety treatment. It can also help treat panic attacks. It belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs and calms abnormal electrical activity in the brain to create a feeling of calm.

Author Resource:-

Alester Brown writes about mental and physical health. She advises people on Paediatrician & online Psychiatrist consultation. You can find her thoughts at sleep apnea treatment blog.