Last Updated on December 16, 2021 by

The anxiolytic are consumed pills to treat anxiety. Some of the most common names are Lorazepam, Bromazepam, Alprazolam, Diazepam, and Chlorazepate…

If you do not hear the generic names is because you may know them by their trade names: Orbital, Legating, Trankimazin, Valium, and Tranxilium. Now they do, do not they?

Anxiolytic

Anxiety pills are the order of the day: you know them, you consume them today or you have done it in the past, you know someone who consumes them or has consumed them, they talk about them on TV and press…

And is that are the drugs of first choice in medical consultations for many health problems: anxiety disorders, nervousness, tension, insomnia, phobias…

Since the 1990s the consumption of anxiolytics has been increasing progressively to the present, where it is one of the most consumed drugs worldwide in developed countries, including Spain.

To give you an idea of ​​the severity of this consumption, anxiolytics are the third most consumed substance in Spain (12.2% of the population consumes them), after tobacco (78.3%) and alcohol (40%). 7%).

In fact, Spain is the second most anxious country consuming the countries that make up the OECD (The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). The top country is Portugal.

Regarding gender, women consume more antidepressants than men, regardless of age range.

Precautions when taking anxiolytics

Anxiolytics are minor tranquilizers that slow the activity of the Central Nervous System, so be careful when taking them.

They should only be taken if prescribed by a healthcare professional.

Doctors should know your current situation and your emotional state before prescribing any anxiolytic, since there are many drugs that produce anxiety, so removing that drug the anxiety problem that consultations would disappear.

Similarly, you should keep in mind if you have any type of organic problem, such as thyroid problems, respiratory problems, cardiovascular problems  … since they can alter the effects of anxiolytics.

If these types of drugs are not given properly they can cause:

• Addiction
• Alteration in the reaction capacity
• Alteration in alert status
• Amnesia
• Headache
• Confusion
• Muscular weakness
• Depression
• Attention difficulties
• Difficulty coordinating your movements
• Difficulty driving
• Affective blunting
• Dizziness
• Sedation
• Drowsiness
• Etc.

The 5 most common anxiolytics

Next, I will briefly @nalyze the five anxiolytics most consumed in today, specifically I will explain what they are used for, and their properties, their side effects and the considerations you should keep in mind when taking them.

1-Lorazepam

Lorazepam, better known as Orbital, is mainly used to treat anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, problems with insomnia and stress states. It is also used to treat some psychosomatic and organic diseases.

It has anxiolytic, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, sedative, amnesic and muscle relaxant properties.

Primary side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Fatigue

Considerations to take into account:

• You should not drink alcohol during treatment with Lorazepam, as there is an increase in its sedative effect. The result of mixing both substances is a great difficulty in performing any activity.
• You should not drive in the first moments of treatment or when a dose change occurs, as its side effects affect your ability to drive.
• Once the drug is withdrawn, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, depressed moods, insomnia … so withdrawal should be gradual and guided by a physician.

2-Bromazepam

Bromazepam, better known as Lexatin, is used to treat problems of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive problems, phobias and hypochondrias.

It has anxiolytic properties.

Primary side effects:

• Decreased reflexes
• Drowsiness

Considerations to take into account:

• If you are taking any other medication consult your doctor before taking Bromazepam, since the combination of said anxiolytic with some medications produces depression.
• You should be very careful with this drug if you have had addiction problems at another time in your life, as it can provoke drug addiction with ease.
• Do not consume alcohol along with this drug, since the interaction of both in your body can lead to an overdose.
• It is not advisable to drive at the beginning of treatment or when changes occur in the shots as explained above.
• You must leave the Bromazepam progressively. If you leave it abruptly, the resulting withdrawal syndrome could be dangerous.
• 

3-Alprazolam

Alprazolam, better known as Trankimazin, is prescribed to people suffering from anxiety disorders, panic disorders, crisis anxiety and agoraphobia.

It has anxiolytic, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, sedative and muscle relaxant properties.

Primary side effects:

• Sedation
• Drowsiness

Considerations to take into account:

• Like Bromazepam, Alprazolam generates addiction with ease, so be careful to take it.
• If you are taking other medications, consult your doctor before taking this anxiolytic to avoid possible problems such as cardio respiratory problems or depressions.
• If you mix it with alcohol its sedative effects are enhanced, making your daily activities difficult.
• You should not drive in the first moments of the treatment or when the dose is modified, as it happens with the drugs previously described.

4-Diazepam

Diazepam, better known as Valium, is used primarily for the treatment of anxiety disorders, psychosomatic disorders and for the treatment of muscle spasms.

It has anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, sedative and relaxing properties.

Primary side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Sedation

Considerations to take into account:

• If treatment is abandoned abruptly, various symptoms (anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness, seizures …) characteristic of the withdrawal syndrome will appear.
• You should not consume alcohol, as there is an increase in its sedative effect.
• You should not drive until you realize that the effects of the drug do not affect the capabilities needed for driving (attention, responsiveness, reflexes …).

5-Chlorazepate

Chlorazepate, better known as Tranxilium, is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, stressful situations, alcoholism problems and drug addiction.

It has anxiolytic, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, sedative, amnesic and muscle relaxant properties.

Primary side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness

Considerations to take into account:

• Chlorazepate can cause dependence, so its consumption should be supervised by medical personnel.
• If you stop taking this drug do so progressively and under medical supervision to prevent the withdrawal syndrome from worsening.
• Its side effects increase if you ingest alcohol.
• You should not drive under the effects of the drug.

Doctors recommend not taking these types of drugs for more than a month, but not everyone heeds this recommendation and takes them for years or even decades.

The problem of prolonged consumption of anxiolytics is that it generates tolerance in the person who consumes them and a great physical and psychological dependence, even going so far as to have serious problems of addiction.

Also Read: How to Overcome Fear of Being Alone in 12 Steps (Autophobia)

To avoid this problem, physicians should periodically assess the users of the substance in order to adjust their dose, maintain or withdraw it, as appropriate.

The pills for anxiety in everyday life

In recent years there has been a tendency among the very unhealthy population: the tendency to medicalize the problems of everyday life.

Whenever a problem arises in our life, we tend to go to the doctor or pharmacies for pills that take away the pain and suffering associated with that situation. Among those pills are the anxiolytics.

This is a serious mistake, since anxiolytics or any other type of pills will not solve the problem you have, they will simply act on some of the symptoms you have, without modifying the initial problem.

It may take away the anxiety, insomnia or tension you have, but divorce, arguments, problems with your boss, financial problems, fears or pain over the death of a loved one will continue to be there.

They are real problems that are not eliminated taking any pill, if not facing them, either autonomously or by going to a health professional.

It is clear that there are certain pathologies for which these drugs are essential and necessary, but most people who go to the doctor complaining of anxiety do not need to take any medication.

And at this point it is essential the performance of doctors, who must spend more time listening to their patients and see what their real needs, thus avoiding the high consumption of unnecessary drugs.

We must stop this lexicalization and psychiatry of the problems of daily life because it is not healthy that Spain is the second country of the OECD in consumption of anxiolytics and that these drugs are the third substance most consumed in our country.

Alternatives to anxiolytics

If you are looking for help in dealing with a problem, ideally, you should look for several options to choose from, in order to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Among the different options, it is common to find the possibility of going to the doctor with the aim of taking medication, but this should not be the  first option to choose, because as you have concluded is not the healthiest.

There are better alternatives to solve those problems that concern you, such as going to therapy, either individually or in a group. That choice will depend on your preferences.

To deal with a problem you must use all those tools you have, but in case you do not have these tools, they are scarce or they do not help you with the problem you have, it is best to go to a psychologist.

With the help of a professional you will acquire the necessary skills to deal with the current situation that generates discomfort and possible future problems.

All those symptoms that most people go to for consultation are symptoms that can be treated in consultation through the therapist-patient work, without the need for any drugs to act.

Here are some recommendations that will help you lead a healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally:

• Sleep well
• Play sports regularly
• Eat healthy

Avoid consumption of harmful substances (tobacco, alcohol, stimulants …)

Exteriorize your feelings with someone you trust or with a psychologist

Accept the problems that arise in your life and the associated emotions

These recommendations have a positive impact on your life, helping you lead a more organized, healthy life and eliminating many of the symptoms that you currently suffer (insomnia, tension, anxiety …).

A serious problem that affects the high consumption of anxiolytics today is the fact that society does not accept the emotions that derive from daily problems, such as: frustration, stress, tension, uncertainty, discomfort…

We want to be continually happy, happy and carefree, and that is practically impossible.

If you accept both types of emotions, both positive and negative, the problems you are currently worried about will lose strength and your psychic health will improve.

Conclusion

Anxiolytics are necessary in serious mental illness and in severe and disabling disorders, in which these drugs are a basic pillar in how much to treatment.

What is neither necessary nor healthy is the consumption of anxiolytics for problems that we can consider everyday life, such as:  anxiety about important tests, when it comes to interacting with other people, when discussing with your partner…

We should avoid consuming anxiolytics if it has not been prescribed by a healthcare professional and are strictly necessary, since they carry a series of risks and side effects that are harmful to your physical and mental health.

In case the person consumes these drugs it is very important that you follow the instructions of your doctor, that you take them on a regular basis and for a  period of time as short as possible.

I hope that with the passage of time and the awareness of society, stop medical zing everyday problems and learn to solve them in a much healthier way.