Anti-Anxiety Meds-

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 Anti-anxiety meds are benzodiazepines, "benzo"'s for short. They calm you down by  sending signals to your brain telling it to  send calmness to your body.

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 They shouldn't be used long term. Sometimes doctors prescribe it for everyday use, but  that's not a great idea as most anti-anxiety meds are potentially addictive and can  cause a dependance if taken too often. You can build a tolerance to them,  meaning  you'll need more and more to get the same effect because you're taking the same dose  so much.

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 They're meant to be used more as emergency meds for when you're having an anxiety  attack or have to go somewhere and do something like give a  speech or you can't  leave your house due to anxiety for something like that. They're usually prescribed "as  needed" but that doesn't mean you should take them every day.

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 Ativan is probably the most commonly prescribed anxiety medication. The generic is  called Lorazepam. It's the least strong but the most effective generally and can be  taken under the tongue so it dissolves faster for a more immediate effect. It can make  people very drowsy, dizzy, loopy, and out of it. Generic brands of name brand drugs are  cheaper than name brands.

 

 Seroquel and Seroquel XR (XR means extended release) is one medication that works  for anxiety that can actually be taken long term. It's an antipsychotic, but that doesn't  mean you're crazy, it's just a mood stabilizer. Some other anti- anxiety meds are Xanax  (generic: Alprazolam), KlonoPIN (generic: Clonazepam), Valium (generic: diazepam),  and Lexapro (generic: escitalopram).

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 Because anti-anxiety meds aren't meant to be taken every day, it's best to find other  coping skills and use the meds as an emergency backup. Some antidepressants work  for anxiety over time too, but not for everyone.