What Medication Should I Take For Agoraphobia?
Well, I am not a doctor - but I have a close friend who is a pharmacist. Plus, I have a little experience with taking meds as an agoraphobic.
Basically, there are 2 main types of medications doctors will prescribe for anxiety, panic, or agoraphobia:
1) Benzodiazepines like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan.
These are anti-anxiety meds and you experience a pleasant, calming, euphoria in about 20-30 minutes after taking them. But they can be addictive (physically) and you are likely to develop a tolerance meaning it will take more and more to do the trick as time goes on if you rely on them every day.
Another drawback with Benzodiazepines is that besides being potentially habit forming, withdrawing from them can cause the very anxiety symptoms they were meant to relieve. If you want a slower acting tranquilizer, but with fewer risks, you might ask your doctor about a drug called Buspar.
2) SSRI Anti-depressants like Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Luvox, etc…
You won’t feel the euphoria or relaxing feelings from these medications, but they are mood stabilizers known to block intense episodes of panic. Plus, they take care of depression that often comes with agoraphobia and anxiety disorders. I think doctors are putting people with anxiety on these nowdays because they help panic AND depression. But you don’t get the good, relaxing feeling from SSRIs.
Also, anti-depressants are known for having stronger and worse side effects than benzodiazepines, the nature of which depends upon the specific anti-depressant you take.
Whatever you do, avoid Effexor - it is an SSNRI anti-depressant that carries a major warning label about side effects. The problem is, doctors don’t always disclose this. I have heard many horror stories from people about the scary side effects of Effexor.
My position on medication is this - I found using Xanax helpful to calm situational anxiety to get through a bad time. Plus, carrying Xanax in my pocket gave me confidence as I practiced facing my fears (like going back to work or school) because I knew I could always get relief from anxiety if it got too far out of hand.
But ultimately, learning to relax and control your thinking is the way to lasting recovery from agoraphobia, Medication is not a cure and quits working when you quit taking it. My motto is “skills not pills are the answer to agoraphobia.”