What Is An Anxiety Attack?

If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, chances are that you will be give an option of different treatments. These treatments may include anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication and therapy. There are pros and cons to all of these types of anxiety treatments. Here is a run-down of what to expect with each:

Anti-Depressants

Today, most anti-Depressants are used in combination with anti-anxiety medication. Anxiety does not often come on its own - it is usually the result of an underlying cause and, in most cases, depression. Anxiety can be a very disabling illness if not treated. So can depression. This is why most doctors will want to treat the cause of the anxiety rather than just the symptoms.

Anti-depressants today are a host of SSRI medications. They include Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac. They have side effects that include dry mouth, sexual side effects and drowsiness. When you first start taking the medication, it takes a while to get into your bloodstream. For most people, it will take about two weeks before you start to feel better.

The long term side effects of these medications is that you have to monitor your blood work to make sure that they do not impair your liver or kidneys. For most people, taking the recommended dosage of these medications will help them overcome their anxiety. The drawback is that they take a while to get into the system and many people give up when they feel that they are not working. Others feel that they are cured from the depression and take themselves off of the medication. It is not advisable for anyone to withdraw from these medications without the advice and supervision of a doctor.

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Most anti-anxiety medications today that are very commonly prescribed are Xanax and Klonopin. They take the place of the less efficient and more addictive anti-anxiety medications of the past that included Valium. Anti-Anxiety medications are safe to use on a short term basis and should be used when you are having an anxiety attack. They will help to calm you down and make the anxiety disappear.

The problem with anti-anxiety medications is that they build up a tolerance in your system and will cause severe withdrawal when you try to stop taking the medication. If you think the anxiety attack is bad - just wait until you start withdrawal. Doctors have a way to help you withdraw from anxiety medications without making you feel as though you are losing your mind. They wean you off the medications with the use of other drugs. If you take anti-anxiety medications, use them sparingly and do not develop a dependency on them. If you find that you are taking them more than prescribed, talk to your doctor about a withdrawal program.

Therapy

Therapy will also help to get to the root of your anxiety. While someone who is suffering from anxiety will often focus on something insignificant, this is not usually the cause of the anxiety. Therapy is a great way to get to the heart of the matter. The problem is that it is not the instant cure that everyone these days wants. But in the long run, therapy can do wonders in helping to relieve your anxiety as well as your depression.

Chances are that if you have an anxiety attack, you may be prescribed anti-anxiety medication. If it happens again, you should talk to your doctor about getting anti-depressants to cure the underlying problem as well as get into a therapy class that can help you in the long run. Anti-anxiety medications work well for the instant cure, but are not the answer for the long term problem.

How Are Anxiety Attacks And Depression Related?

Anxiety attacks are when the body reacts to stress. Often the stress is something that happens to the individual that is having the attack. Many times, the anxiety is caused by depression. Depression and anxiety, most of the time, walk hand in hand with one another.

Most people who have an anxiety attack will suffer from an anxiety disorder. These include obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. They will generally bring on depression.

Chances are, if you go to the doctor for anxiety, that you will get a prescription for both anti-anxiety medication as well as anti-depressants. This is because the doctor will not want you to take anti-anxiety medication for a longer period of time. Anti-anxiety medication, once called tranquilizer, usually consists of Xanax, Klonopin or other types of newer medications designed to take the edge off of an anxiety attack. But this is just a mask for the anxiety. You need can take these to get the edge off of the anxiety, but they are not the cure.

In most cases, there is an underlying cause for the anxiety attacks. Depression is the major factor. This is why you will also get an anti-depressant to help alleviate the anxiety attack symptoms. Doctors believe that a chemical imbalance is the major factor in why people have anxiety attacks. When you take the anti-depression medication, you will start to balance out the chemical imbalance that causes the anxiety or panic attacks.

The depression medication prescribed is usually Zoloft, Paxil or another SSRI. These help release serotonin into your bloodstream and to your brain, balancing out the lack of this chemical in your brain. People who suffer from anxiety attacks often feel better once they are on one of these drugs. The drugs allow them to focus, be less depressed and feel better about themselves.

While some people may experience only one anxiety attack, others may have them often. In some cases, anxiety attacks can interfere with your job, your family and other aspects of your life. This is why it is so important for you to follow up with your doctor and get the right treatment.

Doctors may do tests for thyroid conditions and, if you are menopausal, for hormone imbalances. They will want to pinpoint why you are having anxiety attacks. If there is no physical cause, they will send you to a counselor who will then treat you for your anxiety as appropriate. You may be diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks or general anxiety disorder. If you have undergone stress, you may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. All of these conditions can be helped by treating it with anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medication. It may take a few weeks before your depression lifts after taking the anti-depressants, which is why you will have the anti-anxiety medication on hand. Once the anti-depressants have taken effect, you will find that you do not need to take the anti-anxiety medication as often.