Short-Term Anxiety Relief: Medications for Panic Attacks & Anxiety

Anxiety disorders can often result in panic attacks. There are short-term medications available to help treat panic attacks or prevent them from occurring. Anti-anxiety medications are also useful when you are approaching a phobic situation, such as flying in an airplane.

Types

• Benzodiazepines are used for short-term treatment of anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Common benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety include clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax).

Benefits

• Benzodiazepines work very quickly, often within 15 to 20 minutes of taking the medication. These medications can also be taken on an as-needed basis.

Side Effects

• Side effects of short-term anxiety medications include drowsiness, clumsiness, slurred speech, confusion, depression, dizziness, impaired thinking and judgment, memory loss, nausea and double vision.

Considerations

• Benzodiazepines can cause physical dependency. The risk increases with the amount of time you are on the medication and the higher the dose you take.

Warning

• Stopping benzodiazepines abruptly---when you have been taking a scheduled dose---can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms including panic attacks, severe anxiety and seizures.