It would be wrong to suggest that any of the commonly prescribed anxiety medications were completely useless, however, many were developed as anti-depressants and as such have very little therapeutic impact on anxiety, if any at all.
You see, the part of the brain responsible for the development and perpetuation of an anxiety condition is not 'reached' by anxiety medications in order to have any curative affect. No medication can erase the anxious behavior and reaction which causes these conditions and until it is possible to do so, there will only be one solution.
The section of the brain responsible for anxiety disorders is influenced solely by behavior - leg work actually and whilst anxiety medications can have a beneficial affect on true, clinical depressive disorders, they have only superficial impact on anxiety conditions. Often, sufferers say that the 'soporific' affect of anti-depressants can 'knock the edge' of their anxiety, this has no curative affect so as soon as the drug is taken away, the anxiety floods back.
Similarly, tranquilizers will allow a sufferer to experience temporary relief from some of the more acute symptoms, it does not 'solve the problem'.
Both anti-depressants and sedatives can also cause added side affects which may be interpreted by the sufferer as a worsening of their condition and may even cause added anxiety in some cases. Side effects can be as bad as the anxiety itself and many sufferers experience withdrawal problems and 'rebound anxiety' when they cease their pills.
Doctors are mostly limited by time and subsequently prescribe medication instead of discussing other options first.
Whilst most of our clients come to us having tried medicinal treatments first, many come to us whilst taking medication. This has no affect on the curative affect of the Linden Method - whether you are currently taking medication or not is irrelevant, by implementing the advice outlined in our program, you will soon be at a point where you can effectively stop taking medication with very little, if any, negative experiences.
Benzodiazepines
The Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium etc) are most commonly prescribed, followed by chlordiazepoxide (Librium, Librax). Clonazepam (Klonopin). Benzodiazepines are fast-acting medications and may take effect within an hour or less. The most common side-effects are drowsiness, coordination problems, fatigue, and mental confusion. Benzodiazepines should never be combined with other medications including or alcohol, most anesthetics, muscle relaxant medication or pain medications.
Benzodiazepines can cause dependency and tolerance issues. They carry the potential for abuse and acute withdrawal problems. Usually prescribed for short periods because of these concerns they recommended to be used for several days or weeks, however, this is often ignored by practitioners.
Long-term Benzodiazepines use is not recommended, however some patients who require long-term treatment are often inappropriately prescribed pills for long periods. Always consult your doctor before ceasing benzodiazepines and never stop abruptly.
Withdrawal symptoms commonly occur on cessation; these may include anxiety, shakiness, headache, dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite and even, fever, psychosis and seizures. It is advisable to use a structured program of gradual withdrawal such as the one outlined in my method pack in order to avoid or minimize withdrawal issues and rebound anxiety problems.
Other Anxiety Medications
Whilst benzodiazepines are used as the 'first line' by doctors, other medications such as Buspar (buspirone), the beta-blockers (propranolol, atenolol), Neurontin (Gabapentin), tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs and MAOIs are also often prescribed.
Buspar is often used for generalized anxiety disorders. Buspar is chemically similar to some antidepressants. Beta-blockers are used mainly for heart conditions (such as high blood pressure), but are also commonly prescribed for anxiety. Anti-depressants such as the tricyclics, SSRIs and MAOIs are also commonly prescribed.
Is medicine the solution for anxiety ?
No matter what anxiety medication you may have been prescribed, it is NOT the solution... it may give you temporary relief from some acute symptoms, however, it will not provide the curative treatment you require in order to permanently eliminate your anxiety, panic attacks, OCD or/and phobias.
The ACTUAL solution will surprise you. It is so very, very simple and requires NO medicinal or psychological intervention at all.
The above information thankfully comes from the panic-anxiety.com at the following link.
