ROLE OF MEDICINES IN TREATMENT OF ANXIETY

We suffer from occasional anxiety in our day to day life. You might feel anxious when faced with an important assignment, while giving a presentation or before an important exam . It generally involves more than temporary stress or fear. We will understand the causes of these disorders, as well as the role of medicines in their treatment. There are several reasons behind anxiety and panic disorders. Stress at home and workplace, sibling rivalry, a natural disaster or an accident may panic you every time you face such situations. Physical symptoms of anxiety include irregular heartbeat, stomach problems like gnawing feeling, irritated bowel syndrome, sweating or feeling cold, fatigue or shortness of breath, inability to sleep etc. Social anxiety disorder is another phobia which involves excess worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. The main reason for worry, in this case, centers on the fear of being judged by others. Another disorder is Test anxiety , which is a combination of physiological over-arousal, tension and somatic symptoms, along with worry and fear of failure that occur before test situations. We also find some emotional symptoms like nervousness, feeling fearfulness and insecurity. If you suffer from any of these anxiety symptoms, you must immediately seek medical help. While some may adept easily with change of situations, others are not so lucky and had to resort to anxiety medication . But, you must be clear if anxiety medicines are indeed the real and perfect solution for all your problems ? rnDifferent medications are available for the treatment of anxiety disorders, such as conventional anti anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines ( for short term use ) or latest ones like SSRI antidepressants ( for long term solution . Benzodiazepines (tranquilizer) is the most widely used medicine for anxiety disorder. It relaxes the brain and central nervous system and allows you to sleep peacefully. SSRI is generally consumed for the treatment of different anxiety disorders such as social, generalized, panic or post traumatic stress . According to FDA, Benzodiazepines can aggravate a depression and can lead to suicidal thoughts. So, avoid mixing this medicine with alcohol, painkillers and antihistamines. Antidepressants require upto 4-6 weeks to give complete relief from the physical symptoms of anxiety. They generally aggravate depression and can lead to a greater risk of suicide and hostility. These medications may offer immediate relief, but they come with severe side effects. Using them for a long term may make you addictive and dependent. And, you may suffer from withdrawal symptoms when your specialist asks you to stop that medicine. People often confuse withdrawal symptoms with original anxiety condition and restart the medication once again. Buspirone (BuSpar) is another anti anxiety medication that works as a mild tranquilizer. It is slow acting as compared to a benzodiazepine. It doesn’t affect memory and coordination, is less sedating and has minimum withdrawal limits. Beta Blocker (drugs including propranolol and atenolol ) are another group of medications used for the treatment of hypertension and heart problems. They work by blocking the effects of norepinephrine, a stress hormone, in the fight or flight response. This hormone controls the physical symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heart rate, sweating, dizziness, a trembling voice and shaky hands . rnMedications are not the permanent solution for relief from depression and anxiety. For long term relief, you should make changes in your lifestyle and should undergo cognitive behavioral therapy . Meditation, yoga and physical exercises ,too, can reduce your stress levels. We recommend that you should always consult your doctor before consuming any anxiety medication.