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Providers may also prescribe them to prevent cases of acute anxiety like those stemming from a plane ride, for those with a fear of flying, or the moments leading up to a surgery. Benzodiazepines also treat severe muscle spasms, tremors and acute seizures.īenzodiazepines, such as Xanax and Klonopin, provide rapid relief from a panic attack. “For years, providers have prescribed benzodiazepines to treat symptoms of acute anxiety,” Alonzo said.
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Your primary care provider is the best place to start that journey.” Benzodiazepines for anxiety “It takes time to find the perfect combination for your symptoms. “Anxiety disorders are best treated with a combination of therapy and medication,” Alonzo said. The use or misuse of drugs and alcohol can worsen symptoms of anxiety. The risk factors may include exposure to trauma, certain medical problems like thyroid disease or heart disease, stress due to a severe illness and other mental health disorders like depression.
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However, you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms such as getting help from a health care professional early and avoiding the use of non-prescribed drugs and alcohol.” Do I have an anxiety disorder?Ĭommon signs and symptoms of anxiety include nervousness, restlessness or tenseness, a sense of impending danger or doom, increased heart rate, breathing rapidly, sweating, trembling, feeling weak or tired, trouble concentrating or sleeping, stomach aches and headaches and the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety.Īnxiety disorders often develop from a complex set of risk factors. “We have no way of predicting what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder. Plus, untreated anxiety can lead to other mental health disorders and physical conditions,” Alonzo said. “An anxiety disorder does more than make you anxious. Common examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, substance-induced anxiety disorder and specific phobias. Anxiety is one of the most undertreated mental illness, and we need to talk more about it.” What are anxiety disorders?Īnxiety disorders affect 31.9 percent of people between the ages of 13 and 18, and women are twice as likely to develop an anxiety disorder as men.
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“If you understand the different types of medication, then you can become a better advocate for your anxiety treatment. Joy Alonzo, PharmD, MEng, specialist in the pharmacotherapy of mental disorders and a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the Texas A&M College of Pharmacy, explains the difference between common anxiety medications. Though highly treatable, 63.1 percent of those suffering from an anxiety disorder do not receive treatment. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States with 19 percent of the population affected every year.
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