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Anxiety medications help to calm and relax the anxious person and remove the troubling symptoms. There are a number of antianxiety medications currently available. The preferred medications for most anxiety disorders are the benzodiazepines such as Valium, Xanax/Zanex, and Ativan. In addition to the benzodiazepines other medications such as buspirone, beta blockers, and gabapentin are sometimes also used to treat anxiety. Antidepressants are also effective for panic attacks and some phobias and are often prescribed for these conditions. They are also sometimes used for more generalized forms of anxiety, especially when it is accompanied by depression. The medications approved by the FDA for use in OCD are all antidepressants: clomipramine, fluoxetine, and fluvoxamine.

Although benzodiazepines, buspirone, tricyclic antidepressants, or SSRIs are the preferred medications for most anxiety disorders, occasionally, for specific reasons, one of the following medications may be prescribed: antipsychotic medications, antihistamines (such as Atarax, Vistaril, and others), barbiturates such as phenobarbital, and beta-blockers such as propranolol (Inderal, Inderide). Propanediols such as meprobamate (Equanil) were commonly prescribed prior to the introduction of the benzodiazepines, but today rarely are used.

For more information:

• Benzodiazepines - the most-used medications
• Other medications that are used for Anxiety
• Antidepressants are used for OCD and some anxiety symptoms
• Keeping an Open Mind about Treatment - Don't rule out medications or psychotherapy for a mental disorder
• Psychiatric Medications - Antianxiety - from the National Institute of Mental Health
• Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
  

Text adapted from NIH Publication No. 95-3929 with revisions and additions.