Question about anxiety medication

[~Divergent~]

So my friend might start taking anxiety medication soon, and she's wondering what it "does" exactly...like if it makes you super chill, or has negative side effects, or anything else. Can someone who takes anxiety medication possibly give me some info about what it does/the effects so I can relay the info back to her?

[PSY]

First, anti-depressants can be prescribed for the treatment of certain anxiety disorders... so your friend might want to confirm that she's being given an anxiolytic (or anti-anxiety medication) and not an anti-depressant (in case you're curious, anti-depressants may be prescribed first because their side effects are typically less severe than the side effects for anxiolytics... and since anxiety and depression frequently go hand in hand, anti-depressants can relieve symptoms for both conditions).

Second, some medication is meant to be taken on a regular basis, whereas other medication is only meant to be taken when symptoms become unmanageable. For example, if your friend struggles with panic attacks, then she may only need to take the medication when she begins to experience a panic attack. For other anxiety disorders, she may be instructed to take the medication at regular intervals, and not just in "crisis" situations.

If your friend has questions about what she's being prescribed (which is perfectly understandable), then she really should talk to her doctor. I hope that doesn't seem dismissive, because I'm sure it'll be helpful to receive input from TeenHelp's members as well; however, because there are so many things that factor into making a decision about which medication(s) to prescribe, your friend's best bet for getting a comprehensive answer is to talk to her doctor.

[Usernames Suck]

I definitely think it would be easiest for your friend to talk to her doctor. The doctor should be able to answer any questions your friend might have.

What it's meant to do depends on the type of medication your friend is taking, your friend's specific anxiety issues, and how it's supposed to be used.As to possible side-effects, it again depends on the medication. Keep in mind that whether any side-effects happens and how severe they are is different from person to person.

Your friend really should be able to ask any questions from the doctor. You can also do some research online if you know the name of what she's taking, you might find explanations on medical websites or read experiences other people have had. While this can be helpful, it's not a substitute for a medical professional's input. It's also important that your friend is able to communicate with her doctor if there are any side-effects she may be concerned about: the doctor will be able to let her know if they are normal or temporary and adjust her medication accordingly if it's causing her trouble.

[Gingerbread Latte]

As other's have said it really depends on what type she's prescribed since there's many different forms of drug that can be used to treat anxiety.

I've been on two different types of medication for my anxiety. The first one was anti-depressants, paroxetine and citalopram are the two I tried. Anti-depressants come with a wide range of side effects, most of which occur in the first month of taking the medication as your body gets used to it and it really depends on the individual what side effects they get. For me, the first two weeks of the medication was spent with headaches, dizziness and loss of appetite.

The second type which I'm still currently taking is a Beta-blocker called propanolol. So far I've not experienced any large side effects of taking this other than feeling a bit sleepy if I've missed a dose.

Whichever medication your friend takes just tell her to listen to what her doctor says and ask questions if needed and to read through the leaflet before taking it to get an idea of what side effects can be expected from taking that type of medication.

[~Divergent~]

Thanks for the help, you guys! My friend really appreciates it.

[Its.Just.Angie]

I take medication for it. Again, it depends on what it is used for (panic attack, or other disorder) I take it daily and it takes awhile to get its full affect. (2 weeks to a month) sometimes the first one doesn't get the results. So the chances are she will be switching until she gets the right one that works for her.

There is a slight chance of getting worse. But it can happen. Sometimes mine anyway you get really tired and hungry! Sometimes it gets harder to concentrate on things ( speaking from experience) but everyone is different on them. So I can't say for sure.

If it doesn't work first month they usually up the dose until it reaches it's max or if it makes it worse you will eventually switch something. Sometimes if he/she doesn't get it for a couple of times. They might refer her to someone who specializes in that area (psychiatrist or someone)

One last thing it isn't a "happy pill" and it doesn't make you super chill. It basically takes the edge or worse of the anxiety away. It basically the medication use to balance the chemicals in your body to react better in different situations. It helps alittle in my opinion, but that's just me.

Everyone is different so I'm just speaking from expreinces and what I heard from it!