For people prone to anxiety or even anxiety attacks---which may result in shaking, difficulty breathing and rapid heart rate---many types of medication are available to help calm down the body and mind.
Tranquilizers and Benzodiazepines
Tranquilizers and benzodiazepines are antianxiety drugs that slow down the body's nervous system and reduce brain activity. Tranquilizers are also prescribed as muscle relaxants and sleep aids. Some of these types of medications are Valium, Lorazepam, Xanax, and Klonopin.
Side effects for antianxiety medication may include drowsiness, slurred speech, depression, nausea, memory loss, dizziness, blurred vision and disorientation. Long-term users of these drugs may experience more prolonged and extreme side effects. Addiction is also a possibility.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants must be taken regularly in order to be effective. Although they pose a smaller risk for addiction than tranquilizers and benzodiazepines, they pose a suicide risk that must be printed on the bottle of certain medications. Antidepressants include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Celex.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers are a type of medication normally used to treat high blood pressure. However, beta-blockers may also control the symptoms of some anxiety attacks, which include sweating and dizziness. Beta blockers such as Inderal and Tenormin have some side effects, including nausea and drowsiness.
Anticonvulsants
Anticonvulsants are usually used in conjunction with other anxiety treatment medications to soothe physical reactions to anxiety. These may enhance or inhibit transmitters in the brain. Examples include Gabitril, Lamictal and Topimax.
Other Medications
Among the other medications used to treat anxiety disorder are antihistamines, which have some sedative effects, and alpha blockers, which can be prescribed in cases where the anxiety is related to post-traumatic stress disorder.
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