Side Effects Of Anti Anxiety Drugs
For anyone suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety attacks and other similar mental disorders, the desire to find some relief is very important. However there are many different drugs that are available in the market today and finding one that works for you can be a bit daunting. The best way to find the right anti anxiety drugs for you is to talk with your doctor and find a treatment that will alleviate your problems.
If you’re interested, the medical reasoning behind anti anxiety drugs shows they have certain chemicals within them that produce a calming and relaxing effect on the patient. There are however some side effects from these drugs and it’s therefore best to consult with your medical practitioner before you begin a course of treatment with any anti anxiety meds.
The traditional way to treat anxiety used to be with anxiolytics, which were anti anxiety agents. Today while these anxiety drugs are still used there are other methods that are also used. For many people however, treating their excessive anxiety with anti anxiety drugs is the most proven way of reducing their symptoms and allowing them to lead normal lives.
The most popular anxiolytics today is Benzodiazepines. Others like Alprazolam (Xanax) and Lorazepam (Ativan) are also used. Valium (Diazepam) is still widely used to treat the symptoms of anxiety; however its active agent desmethyldiazepam, makes the choice of Valium a dubious relief format.
Other types of anxiety medications are serotonin specific reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. The brand names that are given include Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine and others. These SSRIs have milder forms of side effects than that of the usual anti anxiety drugs, and there is also less chance of becoming dependent upon these drugs. The main drawback to SSRIs is that you must take them continuously for up to three to five weeks before any sign of improvement begins to show.
While there are known and reported side effects from the continued use of Benzodiazepines and Buspirones, people suffering from milder complaints can use these anti anxiety drugs without becoming overly addicted to them. Benzodiazepines can be given at least 30 to 60 minutes before a person suffering from anxiety is exposed to any stressful situations. Buspirones take at least 2 to 3 weeks before an improvement can be seen.
You should also be aware of the side effects that some of these anti anxiety drugs can have on you, especially if you suffer from certain medical conditions or suffer from allergic reactions to certain drugs, or are pregnant or trying to get pregnant or you’re a breast feeding mother. As with all drugs and treatments you should always consult with your doctor prior to taking any medication. It is hopeful that talking with your doctor will provide you with the information necessary to help reduce and cure your anxiety successfully.
Peter Nagy
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/side-effects-of-anti-anxiety-drugs-68168.html
How To Tell If You Have A Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Many disorders exist for anxiety. They range from post-traumatic stress disorder to extreme reactions to phobias. One of the most commonly experienced forms of the problem is what medical practitioners have coined “Generalized Anxiety Disorder”. GAD is very common and the good things is not that hard to see the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in a person and help them to deal with it.
Basically, the key symptom is excessive anxiety and worry. As noted, some level of anxiety and worry is entirely natural. Worry is the way our body warnings us of risks and possible problems, we all have experienced these warnings and many times they save our lives. Not having an ability to experience anxiety would surely be far more destructive than experiencing normal anxiety levels. Elevated anxiety disorders, Of course, can be debilitating. When ones worries become out of whack with reality and are disproportionate or excessive, a problem is present.
Diagnostic Criteria
Lets take a closer look at the DSM diagnostic criteria for a Generalized Anxiety Disorder. As noted, it first requires excessive anxiety and worry. It also requires that these worries most occur more days than not for a period of at least six months, about a number of events or activities In other words, one must be disproportionately worried on a regular basis about a variety of things in order to receive the diagnosis.
Three Of Six Symptoms
– restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge – being easily fatigued – difficulty concentrating or mind going blank – irritability – muscle tension – sleep disturbances
Uncontrollability
Thus, being worried a lot does not in and of itself constitute a disorder. There must also be some level of uncontrollability and some other manifestation of the problem. An anxiety disorder, according to the diagnostic volume, cannot be the outgrowth of concerns related to a similar disorder. For instance, having a fear of a panic attack (that is a feature of panic disorder) when one experiences panic attacks would not qualify.
The Heart Of The Matter
If the anxiety becomes distressful enough to impair social or occupational situations and prevent functioning in society, this can be of major concern. This is really the heart of the matter. When the worry and anxiety reach a level that interferes with normal functioning, an anxiety disorder is present. This breakdown applies specifically to a Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnoses, but it is enlightening with respect to other anxiety disorders. Primary features are still the exact same with excessive worry, experiencing this frequently and uncontrollably.
John Morris
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-to-tell-if-you-have-a-generalized-anxiety-disorder-65236.html












