That said, our primary care physicians are able to prescribe mental health medications such as antidepressants, and if necessary can provide you with a referral to a psychiatrist. Mayo Clinic. Anxiety Disorders. What Is Anxiety? Most PlushCare articles are reviewed by M. Ds, N. Click here to learn more and meet some of the professionals behind our blog. The PlushCare blog, or any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
For more information click here. What is Anxiety? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety is a physical and emotional reaction you have…. What Is OCD? Do you think you might have OCD? What is OCD? What is the treatment? Are there different…. What is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical practitioner who specializes in helping patients with mental illnesses. Psychiatrists hold…. Book an appointment. Written by: Leah McCabe. Leah McCabe. Note how much it affects your life. If you are just upset by anxiety every once and a while with few side effects, that likely means you don't have an anxiety disorder. However, if your anxiety affects your life everyday, whether by consuming your thoughts or stopping you from doing things, you may have an anxiety disorder.
Understand anxiety can appear in different ways. Depending on the type of disorder you have, your anxiety can look somewhat different. In addition, what triggers it can vary widely from person to person, or it may have no trigger at all. Generalized anxiety disorder means you may feel excessive worry about your everyday life, even if nothing bad is happening at the moment.
Panic disorder is when you suddenly have attacks of fear or anxiety that often last for just a few minutes but can last much longer. Social phobia is essentially a fear of being embarrassed. This embarrassment may keep you from doing certain things or going where you may want to go because you're afraid you'll do something embarrassing.
Focused phobias are a fear of one particular thing or several things; in other words, when you are exposed to your phobia, you have fear or anxiety. Part 3. Know what it is. Xanax is a type of sedative. It does this by binding to receptors in your brain, stimulating production of GABA.
GABA is a naturally occuring neurotransmitter that reduces the activity of neurons to which it binds. Understand what Xanax is prescribed for. Most often, Xanax is prescribed for anxiety.
You may also have it prescribed for panic disorder, though sometimes doctors are reluctant to prescribe it for this condition, as you often get panic attacks when you are relaxed.
Xanax can get you through a crisis, such as a stressful exam or difficult meeting. The correct dosage will get your anxiety out of your way so you can focus properly. It treats the symptoms, not the cause. Xanax is not a cure for an anxiety disorder.
Talk with your doctor about what treatments can help you in the long term. Know why your doctor might be reluctant to prescribe Xanax. Xanax can become addictive over time. Kirsten Thompson, MD.
Kind of, but not entirely! Xanax belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Xanax helps increase a brain chemical called GABA, which helps promote a calm and relaxed state of mind. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
It's not a good idea to go off Xanax all at once. You should wean yourself off this drug under the guidance of a doctor. If you don't, you may end up with withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors, sweating, nervousness, and even seizures.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Xanax can temporarily ease anxiety and stop panic attacks, allowing you to get rid of your anxiety short-term so you can handle a situation without stress getting in your way. It will not cure an anxiety disorder. If you thinking that you or someone you know may be addicted to Xanax and is manipulating their doctor or therapist to have it prescribed to them, call an addiction hotline or find other means of assistance immediately.
Do not use alcohol or other CNS depressants while taking Alprazolam, as Alprazolam itself is a CNS depressant and simultaneous use of more CNS depressants increases their effect leading to side effects including tachycardia, arrhythmia, muscle weakness, coma, acute blood toxicity, and liver failure. It can help address chemical imbalances in the brain and reduce the number of panic attacks.
A lack of GABA activity can cause people to become excitable and may lead to panic attacks or seizures. Having more GABA activity in the body helps reduce instances of panic attacks and seizures. At first glance, Xanax and clonazepam are very similar. Both medications are benzodiazepines, CNS depressants, and ways of treating anxiety or panic attacks.
Both are short acting drugs, but clonazepam stays in the body for longer than Xanax. The half-life of Xanax is 6—25 hours , while for clonazepam, it is 22—54 hours. Clonazepam can also treat seizures, whereas Xanax does not. Both drugs have their different off-label uses, which the sections below will look at in more detail.
Dosages usually differ depending on the individual and the condition that a doctor is trying to treat. For panic and anxiety, the dosage for adults is 0. A doctor can increase the dosage in increments of 0. However, the maximum dosage does not usually exceed 4 mg per day.
For seizures, the dosage for adults is 0. The maximum dosage should not exceed 20 mg per day. For anxiety disorders, the dosage for adults typically starts at 0.
A doctor may incrementally increase the dosage to maximize the effect. Controlled trials involving 1, people found that Xanax worked for panic disorder when participants received 1—10 mg per day. Whether prescribing clonazepam or Xanax, a doctor will usually start at the lowest possible dosage, regularly reassess the dosage, and consider reducing it, for example, if panic attacks stop. If a doctor advises reducing the dosage, they must ensure that a person does this slowly.
If a person stops taking either drug abruptly, it could result in withdrawal symptoms. Both Xanax and clonazepam typically begin taking effect after a few hours or days of starting the medication. A dose of Xanax will affect a person for a few hours. That is one reason physicians typically are not excited about prescribing Xanax for long periods of time. When benzos were introduced to the market in the s, there was excitement as they were considered safer compared to barbiturates , which had been used to treat anxiety.
By the s, benzos made it to the list of the most highly prescribed medications. Benzos are mainly used to treat anxiety disorders, such as phobias, panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. They are mostly used for a short period at the beginning of the treatment. That is because it may take a few weeks for the main pharmacological treatment for anxiety, antidepressants, to kick in.
During that time, if anxiety is severe and debilitating, benzodiazepines may be prescribed for temporary use. Benzos are also prescribed for occasional situations of high anxiety, such as that caused by phobias.
The main treatment of phobias, such as excessive fear of animals, places and social interactions, is psychotherapy. For example, a person with fear of flying who may fly on a plane once or twice a year may choose to take a benzo before flying. However, for a businessman or woman who flies several times a months, psychotherapy is recommended.
Benzos are also used for other medical conditions, such as treatment of seizures or alcohol withdrawal in the hospital. There is no good evidence for use of benzos in post-traumatic stress disorder. I do this because I care about you.
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