Anti-Anxiety Drugs Versus Natural Remedies

If you’ve got anxiety and turn to your doctor there’s a good chance they will recommended a course of medication. This prescription reflex is the norm these days. But should drugs really be the first port of call?

There are numerous natural, healthy measures that can help nip anxiety in the bud, yet these are often ignored. Simple exercise has a very powerful anti-anxiety effect. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can have a profound effect on mood. As does reducing stress.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, there are many natural anxiety remedies, all of which benefit your health. Sadly, the same can’t be said of all anti anxiety drugs. Here is a list anti anxiety drugs commonly used:

• Valium
• Xanax
• Prozac
• Paxil
• Lexapro
• Librium
• BuSpar
• Ativan
• Zoloft

Whilst there’s no doubting these medications can provide acute anxiety relief there are several downsides. Firstly, drugs are not without their side effects. These side effects can cause a whole host of other problems, which themselves require additional medication! And you can never be really sure what the long term effects will be. Which brings me to the second problem – as soon as you stop taking the drug use all too often anxiety symptoms pop right back up. These medications are NOT a cure. And that’s not even mentioning withdrawal problems.

You also have to consider that just because the drugs have an effect when you first start taking doesn’t mean they always will. The human body and brain has a habit of adjusting to things and medications are no exception. Over time you may find yourself needing more and more of the drug to get the same effect.

And finally there’s the question of how effective these sorts of medications really are. A consortium of UK, US and Canadian researchers used Freedom of Information legislation to force the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to give proof of their clinical drug trials. Their findings? Popular depression drugs where no more effective than a placebo. That’s right, you’d get the same effect taking a sugar pill as many expensive drugs.

So why risk potential side effects, when all your doing is brushing anxiety under the carpet? Why not at least try and ease your anxiety by using natural and healthy methods first? If this sounds like something you’d like to explore then visit Anxiety Zap for the full low down on anxiety, the stuff doctors often fail to mention.

For more information on how to conquer anxiety, click > AnxietyZap