Anxiety medications, also called anti-anxiety medications or anxiolytics, are prescribed for anxiety disorders as well as for people who have anxiety along with bipolar disorder or major depression. Anxiety medications help to make people less anxious and also help to ease restlessness and worrying. Many of these medications also help people to sleep better. Let’s take a look at the different categories of medications which are used to treat anxiety and how they may be used for people with bipolar disorder.
Benzodiazepines
Most of the anti-anxiety medications that are primarily intended to treat anxiety are called benzodiazepines. Many of these anxiety medications are also prescribed for other conditions as well such as:
AgitationInsomniaChemotherapy-induced nausea and vomitingAlcohol withdrawalSeizures
Some of these medications are used primarily for their sedative effects, either to help with insomnia or as relaxation medications prior to surgery. Benzodiazepine medications include:
Valium (diazepam) Ativan (lorazepam) Klonopin (clonazepam) Serax (oxazepam) Librium (chlordiazepoxide) Xanax (alprazolam) Halcion (triazolam) Restoril (temazepam)
Antidepressants
Many antidepressant medications have been found to have a beneficial effect on anxiety, and unlike benzodiazepines, do not carry the same types of risks for dependence, abuse, and overdose. For this reason, these drugs are often the mainstay of treatment of anxiety of any form. Drugs from different classes of antidepressants are commonly used, including:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Some of the drugs in this category are mentioned below along with some of the indications. All of these may be considered for treatment of anxiety depending on your particular symptoms.
Paxil (paroxetine): Paxil has many uses, including major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Zoloft (sertraline): Zoloft is approved for the treatment of a number of disorders including major depressive disorder, OCD, panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Prozac (fluoxetine): Prozac is approved for treating depression, OCD, and panic disorder. Luvox (fluvoxamine): Luvox is commonly used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Selective Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
Drugs that inhibit the reuptake of both the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine may also be used to treat anxiety. SNRIs include:
Cymbalta (duloxetine) Effexor (venlafaxine) Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)
Tricyclic Antidepressants
The older tricyclic antidepressants are used less often for the treatment of anxiety with bipolar disorder but may be helpful in certain circumstances.
Buspar (Buspirone)
Buspar (buspirone) is unrelated to the medications above but may be helpful for anxiety with bipolar disorder, especially when combined with an antidepressant. While this medication generally has few side effects, there are some reports of mania on this drug, especially when combined with other medications.
Non-Medicinal Therapies
There are several other ways to approach the treatment of anxiety in addition to medications, and, in fact, a combination of treatments is most often the best approach. Other treatments may include:
Psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); CBT is actually considered one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. Coping and relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing.
A Word From Verywell
If a person with bipolar disorder also has one or more anxiety disorders, it’s likely that an appropriate anti-anxiety medication will be prescribed. Any of the above medications may be prescribed for someone with bipolar disorder who also suffers from anxiety, even if the anxiety is not from an actual anxiety disorder. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
