Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. It’s a medical condition that involves excessive fear, worry and related problems with behavior. This isn’t just a case of the jitters. It’s a constant, overwhelming state that can make everyday tasks feel very difficult.

Anxiety is widespread, affecting over 40 million adults in the U.S., which is about 20% of the population. That’s nearly 1 in 5 adults. Worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates that about 4% of the global population is currently experiencing an anxiety disorder, making it the most common of all mental health challenges.

The symptoms often start during the childhood or teenage years and can continue into adulthood. While anxiety disorders are highly treatable, many people struggle for years before finding help.

Different types of anxiety disorders

Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone. It comes in many forms, each with its own specific challenges. 

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD involves constant and excessive worry about many things, such as health, work, school or daily life, that lasts for months. This worry is often much bigger than the actual situation. 

Panic disorder (PD)

PD involves repeated, unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden, intense periods of fear that become strongest within minutes. Symptoms can include a pounding heart, trouble breathing, chest pain and a terrifying feeling of losing control. 

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

Social phobia is a strong, ongoing fear of social situations because of the worry about being judged, embarrassed or humiliated by others. This can make simple interactions, like talking in a meeting or making a phone call, extremely hard. 

Specific phobias

These are intense, unreasonable fears of a particular object or situation, such as flying, heights or certain animals. The fear is so strong that it causes the person to completely avoid that subject or situation. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

OCD involves unwanted, repeating thoughts, or obsessions, and repetitive behaviors, or compulsions. It’s classified as an obsessive-compulsive and related disorder in the DSM-5, but it can involve anxiety.

Antidepressants: How they can offer relief

The name “antidepressant” can be confusing when talking about anxiety. However, these medications can be very effective treatments for many types of anxiety disorders, not just depression. They were first developed for depression but were later found to help with anxiety too.

Antidepressants are medications that work to balance certain chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters. These chemicals carry signals between the nerve cells. When you have long-lasting anxiety, these neurotransmitters, like serotonin and norepinephrine, can become unbalanced, affecting your mood, stress levels and emotional reactions.

Antidepressants can help increase the availability of these feel-good or calming chemicals in the brain. By adjusting this chemical balance, the medication can:

• Reduce the frequency and intensity of worry and fearful thoughts
• Lessen physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a fast heart rate or tense muscles
• Improve your overall mood, making it easier to handle daily life
• Make your brain less hyperalert to dangers, allowing for calmer reactions to stress

Instead of hiding the anxiety, the medicine helps to rewire your brain over time. It helps your brain form new, healthier connections between nerve cells. This change in brain function is what leads to long-term improvements in how you think and feel. This is why many health care providers may suggest using medication along with therapy. The medication gives you the stability and calm you need for the therapeutic work to be truly successful.

The main types of antidepressants for anxiety

The world of antidepressants includes several classes, but only a few are commonly used as a first choice for anxiety disorders. A health care provider can decide which type is best for you based on your specific symptoms and needs. 

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are the most often prescribed type of antidepressant for both depression and anxiety disorders and they are usually the first choice for treating anxiety.

Serotonin is often called the calm or happy chemical. When a nerve cell releases serotonin, it usually takes some of it back, a process called reuptake. SSRIs work by blocking this reuptake process, which leaves more serotonin available in the brain. This increase in serotonin helps regulate mood and lower feelings of anxiety. 

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

SNRIs are another class that is also considered a first choice for certain anxiety conditions.

Unlike SSRIs, SNRIs work on two neurotransmitters: serotonin and norepinephrine. Norepinephrine plays a role in alertness and the body’s fight-or-flight stress response. By increasing both of these chemicals, SNRIs can help improve mood, reduce worry and increase mental clarity.

Atypical antidepressants

This is a group of medicines that don’t fit into the other main categories. Each one works in a slightly different way to affect brain chemistry. 

Buspirone (Buspar)

Buspirone is often called an atypical anxiolytic, anti-anxiety medication, rather than a traditional antidepressant, and it can be effective for GAD.

Buspirone is thought to affect the serotonin receptors in the brain. It’s often preferred because it’s usually well tolerated and, unlike some other anxiety medications, it has a low risk of dependency.

Important considerations on your path to wellness

Starting any new treatment is a big step, and having questions and worries is natural. It’s crucial to remember that this process is all about personalization, finding the right fit for your unique body and mind. 

It takes time to take effect.

One of the most important things to know is that antidepressants don’t work instantly. They need time to build up in your system and create those helpful chemical changes in the brain.

You may begin to notice some small changes, like slightly better sleep or a reduction in the most severe panic, within the first couple of weeks.

It can take up to six to eight weeks, and sometimes longer, to feel the full benefit of the medication. It’s crucial to be patient and stick with the treatment plan your clinician gives you. Stopping the medication too soon, or before it’s had a real chance to work, is a common reason people don’t find relief. Your health care provider will schedule check-ins during these early weeks to see how you’re doing and make any necessary dose changes. 

It may require managing side effects. 

Like all medications, antidepressants can cause side effects. Most side effects are mild and tend to fade away as your body gets used to the medication over the first few weeks.

Initial side effects may include:

• Feeling slightly nervous or shaky
• Upset stomach or nausea
• Dizziness or feeling sleepy
• Headaches
• Sleep pattern changes
• Sexual desire or function changes

If you have severe side effects, if they’re hard to manage or if they don’t go away, you must tell your health care provider immediately. They can suggest ways to manage them, change your dose or switch you to a different medication. Finding the right medication for you is sometimes a process of trying a few options, so don’t be discouraged if the first one isn’t a perfect fit.

For those age 24 and under, the FDA advises extra check-ins early on so any mood changes are noticed quickly.

Antidepressants aren’t habit forming. 

A common worry is whether antidepressants are addictive. The good news is antidepressants aren’t considered habit forming. A person doesn’t become physically dependent on them in the same way they might with alcohol or certain sedatives.

However, if your clinician decides it’s time to stop taking the medication, it’s essential never to stop suddenly. Stopping abruptly can cause what’s called discontinuation symptoms. These are uncomfortable physical and mental feelings like dizziness, upset stomach or flu-like symptoms. To avoid this, your health care provider will create a plan to slowly taper, or gradually reduce, your dose over several weeks or months.

While this article is full of helpful information, it cannot take the place of the guidance of an expert clinician. Medication is a powerful tool that requires professional oversight. A licensed clinician can correctly diagnose your specific anxiety disorder, discuss all the pros and cons of medication options, and help you find a full treatment plan that may include therapy, lifestyle changes and other supportive care.

Find a compassionate path forward with the help of Guidelight Health

Taking the first step toward treating anxiety can feel huge, but it’s a brave and hopeful decision. You deserve to live a life where worry doesn’t control your every move. It’s about opening the door to a calmer, more present and more joyful life.

At Guidelight, we understand that treating anxiety isn’t just about writing a prescription. It’s about seeing you as a whole person. Our approach is built on compassionate care delivered by expert clinicians who are dedicated to your well-being. We believe that true healing comes from a relationship based on trust, respect and deep understanding.

Everyone has a seat at Guidelight. Contact our team online or call us today for more information about antidepressants for anxiety or to schedule an initial evaluation. We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our local clinics.