Anxiety medication

We all feel anxiety from time to time: It’s a normal human response to stress. It’s common to feel nervous or anxious when under pressure at work or school, when having trouble in a relationship, or when faced with difficult news or a tough decision. Occasional feelings of anxiety can help us to respond to a truly dangerous situation and help focus our attention where it’s needed.

There are several different types of anxiety disorders, with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and specific phobias being among the most common.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) causes persistent worry about a variety of things, like work or school responsibilities, family, other relationships, health, or day-to-day tasks. Beyond feelings of worry or nervousness, GAD can cause physical symptoms like tight muscles, fatigue, and sleep problems. GAD symptoms occur on most days for a period of at least a few months and can make it challenging to get through daily activities.

Panic disorder causes sudden and intense surges of anxiety and physical symptoms, which can include symptoms like a fast heartbeat or palpitations, chest tightness, nausea, shaking, dizziness, sweating, abdominal pain, or difficulty breathing. These panic attacks can have a clear trigger or may seem to come out of nowhere. Fear can feel overwhelming during a panic attack, and a person may worry that they could lose control or die. Because panic attacks cause such intense feelings, a person with panic disorder will worry about having future panic attacks and may avoid situations that they think could trigger an attack.

In treating anxiety, your provider will help you to understand how anxiety disorders function and will share information about lifestyle changes and self-help resources for anxiety. Self-help tools might include journaling or self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) programs. Lifestyle changes could include reducing caffeine, avoiding alcohol or drug use, quitting smoking, getting regular physical activity, and following best practices for restful sleep.

There are many medications available to treat anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. For frequent or daily symptoms, SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are a common choice. These medications are thought to reduce anxiety by increasing levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger that helps nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other.

There isn’t one best medication for everyone when it comes to treating anxiety, and finding the right treatment plan can take time. Your provider will be there to support you through the process and will help you understand what to expect at each step along the way.

If you’re starting a daily medication for anxiety, it’s normal for it to take a few weeks before you start to notice the benefits. In addition, your provider will likely prescribe a low dose and then work with you to increase your medication gradually. This approach (called titration) reduces early side effects, which normally improve over time as your body adjusts to the medication, but it means that it will take some time to get to the right dose for you.

Anxiety symptoms can feel scary - especially symptoms of a panic attack, which can include a racing heart, chest pain or tightness, and shortness of breath. Though a panic attack isn’t dangerous, the symptoms can mimic serious conditions like a heart issue or breathing problem, and it’s common to wonder if you might need emergency medical care.

As common as anxiety disorders are, it can still feel difficult to talk with those closest to you about anxiety and how it impacts your life. You may worry about how a loved one will react or how well they’ll understand what you’re going through, but opening up to the people closest to you can be a path to more care and support. Consider what time and place would feel most comfortable for the conversation, and think about preparing some talking points ahead of time.

No. You can't see a mental health provider for behavioral therapy, psychiatry, counseling, coaching, clinical social work, or other mental health specialties through Amazon One Medical On-Demand Care. For mental health care, you'll need to see a primary care provider or a mental health care provider for guidance.

If you've taken a medication for depression or anxiety within the past 4 days, you can request a prescription renewal through On-Demand Care, but your provider won't adjust or initiate medication.

When medically appropriate, your Amazon One Medical On-Demand Care provider may renew prescriptions for the following psychotropic medications: