When you are taking medication to prevent anxiety attacks, you are a step ahead of many who are experiencing similar problems but have not done anything about it. Many people are afraid to seek medical help from a doctor, fearing the worse in their prognosis. Taking anti-anxiety medication can cause general weakness to the body but it is necessary to help a person go about daily activities normally.  

These kinds of medication are necessary to allow a person to go on with day to day activities, especially when a person is working or schooling. So as long as the drugs are taken responsibly, they will always prove beneficial than harmful. If a person experiences panic attacks and does not seek help, it would be difficult to go to work and things would not be normal. The risk of taking anti-anxiety medications only pose a problem if the user becomes too dependent on the medication that even the thought of not taking it would cause panic attacks.

Good doctors would suggest creating a treatment program which means that once a person feels better and can manipulate panic attacks effectively, the dosage of a medication can be decreased little by little. It is important to note however that drugs should not be stopped without the go signal from a medical professional. Certain side effects can occur when this happens. As soon as you think that there are already improvements, you can consult a doctor and see if the treatment program can be adjusted accordingly. 

Classifications of Panic Attack Medications and Drugs

Benzodiazepines

These kinds of medication are effective in reducing common cases of panic attack symptoms. It can be taken as a single dose or a multiple dose, which means you have to take it a few times daily and medication may last for months, even years. As with most medication, side effects are evident when taking benzodiazepines. Such effects are slurred speech, drowsiness, lowered sexual drive, decreased mental sharpness, agitation, clumsiness, irritability and agitation. Drugs belonging to this group are: Klonopin, Serax, Valium and Librium.

Tri-cyclic antidepressants

These kinds of drugs are taken to cure and manage severe depression and anxiety brought about by depression. It is also used as a medication for panic attacks and obsessive disorders. It can cause side effects such as blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty in urinating, constipation, lowered sexual drive, sweating, tachycardia, hypotension, erectile problem, weight gain, sedation and irritability, problems with sleeping and unusual energy.  Drugs belonging to this group are: Anafranil, Tofranil, Sinequan and Effexor.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These kinds of drugs are among the latest of the anti-depressant drugs that were distributed around the 80s, with Prozac as the first drug to be introduced. They function differently compared to others because it triggers the neurotransmitters in the brain to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin which is believed to be the cause of depression, as it is commonly found in people suffering from such an illness. In fact, those who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety problems and panic attacks have significant amount of serotonin in their brains. The common side effects of SSRIs are insomnia, nausea, agitation and headaches. Drugs belonging to this category are: Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac.

Beta Blockers

These kinds of drugs functions to control the symptoms of anxiety disorders and panic attacks. These drugs effectively manage symptoms such as tachycardia, trembling, shaking and even blushing. Beta blockers also have side effects such as drowsiness, light headedness, loss of short term memory, decreased heart rate, cold extremities such as hands and feet, diarrhea, nightmares and sometimes depression. Drugs belonging to this category are: Atenolol and Propanolol.

Buspar is a drug that is categorized as a mild tranquilizer and has been licensed to treat depression, OCDs and fear of society. This drug poses some side effects that would go away after a few days of using it. Such side effects are: drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches.

It may be a good thing to look into natural or herbal medications when it comes to treating anxiety and panic attacks. These alternative medicines have become more popular today as many people have been trying to use it instead of the regular drugs we take. This is because herbal or natural medicines are less potent, less addictive and have minimal side effects as compared to regular drugs. A highly recommended drug of this category is an herbal remedy called Bach.

A well-respected medical practitioner, Edward Bach, left his medical practice in order to focus on finding the cure for anxiety and panic attacks and wanted to perfect his method of healing through the use of natural elements such as flowers. He searched far and wide in order to find flowers that would cure the sick, increase energy and rid people of fear, anxiety and depression. He did this to help others and to help himself as well.