The use of anxiety medication has increased dramatically in recent years.

Many people who suffer from anxiety also suffer from depression. For this reason, anti depressants are often prescribed along with Xanax as a way to restore the chemical imbalance that many doctors believe causes anxiety and depression.

So whereas you will most likely take Xanax or another anti-anxiety medication to treat an anxiety attack, the objective from the medical standpoint will be to control the anxiety with anti-depressants that restore the chemical balance in the brain.

The use of anti-depressants is somewhat controversial. Many people feel that doctors are too quick to prescribe anti-depressants for their patients. However, if the patient has a long history of anxiety and depression, they are better off to control it through the use of antidepressants that are meant to be taken on a long term basis, rather than using masking drugs like Xanax.

The type of anxiety medication that you are prescribed for your anxiety panic disorder will most likely be determined by the type of disorder you have. If you have OCD, for example, you will most likely be prescribed Paxil. Paxil is one of the most commonly used drugs to treat OCD. If you have depression and GAD, the doctor will most likely prescribe Zoloft. Zoloft and Paxil are examples of SSRI medications.

SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Other medications in this family include Prozac, Lexapro, Luvox and Celexa. These drugs are normally prescribed for long term treatment of general anxiety disorder, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. If you are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, your doctor may just want to treat you with small doses of Xanax while you undergo therapy. Buspar is a drug that is used to treat many anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder as it has a very mild effect on an individual.

Do not look for an instant cure for your anxiety, panic or depression when you take an SSRI. While the SSRI medications will increase the level of serotonin in the brain, it will take a few weeks before the drug begins to work. It first has to be absorbed into the bloodstream where it will slowly start to work on solving the chemical imbalance.

If you are prescribed SSRIs, it may take a few months before you start to feel better, but you will feel better after time. When used properly, they are much more effective at treating and preventing anxiety than taking Xanax or other tranquilizers.

Some of the side effects of SSRIs include feeling jittery, tired, restless, dizzy and decreased sex drive. Many people do not like the way the medication makes them feel when they first start taking it so they go off of it and their symptoms return. There is also a misconception that taking SSRIs will make you gain weight – that is not true. Many people have achieved good results by taking SSRIs. It just takes patience.

If you are experiencing intense panic attacks, you may be prescribed Tricyclic Antidepressants instead of SSRIs. Although SSRIs have fewer side effects than these drugs, many doctors feel that these anti-depressants work better for those who experience severe anxiety. It is not often that doctors will prescribe Tricyclic Anti-Depressants as they are simply not as effective as the SSRIs, the newest form of antidepressants.

Other anti-depressants that can be used to treat anxiety panic attacks include MAO-Inhibitors. Again, these are often used for panic disorder that is very severe. The choice in medication will be determined by the doctor as well as your underlying physical condition.

Your doctor may want to try different medications to see which one works for you. You will have to see your doctor periodically so that your progress can be charted. Your doctor may want to do blood tests in order to make sure that the drugs are not causing any problems with your liver or other areas of your digestive tract.