Psychiatrist Questions Psychiatrist

How do psychiatrists treat anxiety?

I have anxiety and want to treat it. How do psychiatrists treat anxiety?

2 Answers

Hi,

Thank you for your question. A psychiatrist would treat anxiety with antianxiety or antidepressant medications. Examples of antianxiety meds include benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin) and non-benzodiazepines (Buspar). Examples of antidepressant meds include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs- Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil)/Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs-Effexor, Cymbalta), Tricyclics (TCAs- Elavil, Anafranil, Tofranil), Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs- Nardil, Marplan), and others like Wellbutrin and Remeron.
I hope this has been helpful!

Best,

Jenna Torres, PsyD
Hello and thank you for your question,

Psychiatrists typically treat anxiety using anti-anxiety medication. They may also refer you for psychotherapy.

Thank you,

Patricia Harris | MA, MS, LPC