Anxiety is a difficult psychiatric disorder to live with. Often, you feel as if it has taken over your life and you are consumed with irrational fears, insomnia and chronic worry. Many people find relief from their anxiety symptoms by managing anxiety with benzodiazepines. While this classification of drugs is among the most prescribed type of medication in the country, they have side effects that are serious. Also, they run the risk of causing dependence and addiction.
Anxiety and Common Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are very commonly prescribed by psychiatrists and doctors for anxiety problems. The most common medications include Xanax, Klonopin and Valium.
Benzodiazepines work by improving the performance of GABA, which is a neurochemical. Without proper levels of GABA, people often feel more anxiety and experience panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety.
Benzodiazepines can reduce the symptoms of anxiety, including, shortness of breath, racing heart rate, sweating, tremors and hyperventilation.
Side Effects and Risks
Although benzodiazepines work extremely well in treating anxiety, they also have risks and side effects to them. The most common side effect is problems with thinking and cognitive function. This can include feelings of being unable to think clearly, being in a fog, memory problems and difficulty concentrating. These side effects occur more often in patients who use the medications longer than a year.
Other common side effects can include being sluggish and sedated, slurred speech and difficulties with coordination and impaired ability to drive or operate heavy machinery.
Probably the most serious problem with managing anxiety with benzodiazepines is the likelihood of developing dependence of addiction to the medication. With use over time, the body develops a tolerance for the drug. Over the long run, it will take increased dosages in order to achieve the same effect that once was achieved with a lower dosage.
However, when monitored closely by a psychiatrist, the risk of dependency decreases and it can be entirely safe to use benzodiazepines when used correctly.
Reducing Dependency Risk On Anxiety Meds
Managing anxiety with benzodiazepines is intended as a short term treatment for anxiety symptoms. Since tolerance can develop with regular usage, it is important to only use the medication when the symptoms are most acute and uncomfortable.
Make sure that you take the medication only as prescribed. You can easily become dependent when you take more of the medication than is prescribed. Avoid using the medication every day, since this can lead to tolerance. Instead, only take the medication when you are feeling especially anxious.
Try using psychotherapy as an adjunct to medication treatment for your anxiety symptoms. Psychotherapy can give you skills to help manage and recognize anxiety symptoms so that you do not need to use the medication as often. The goal of psychotherapy should be a reduction in symptoms in order to help you feel more calm and in control.
Most doctors will limit your prescription to one month at a time. This allows them to closely monitor how you are using the drug and how well it is helping to reduce the anxiety symptoms.
Finally, do not stop taking benzodiazepine medications abruptly. Instead, taper down the dosage. This will reduce the chances of experiencing withdrawal and a sudden increase in anxiety symptoms.
