Agoraphobia Medication Part 1: Benzodiazepines

The most common type of medication prescribed for agoraphobia is a class of medicines called benzodiazepines.

”Benzodiazepines” are tranquilizers and sleeping pills. The most common types of benzodiazepines for agoraphobia patients are the tranquilizing agents Xanax, Ativan, Valium, and Serax. Sleep-inducing benzodiazepines Restoril, Halcion and Dalmane are prescribed for cases of agoraphobia where insomnia is present.

When prescribed for agoraphobia, the purpose of benzodiazepines is to relieve anxiety symptoms and/or help you sleep. Most will calm you down within a half hour although some may take up to two hours. This can also depend on how sensitive you are to medication.

The tranquilizing benzodiazepines mainly reduce anticipatory anxiety (or catastrophic thinking). This helps prevent panic attacks, but benzodiazepines are not as effective as antidepressants in directly blocking them.

Benzodiazepines lower anxiety by enhancing the action of a neurotransmitter called GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid). This neurotransmitter inhibits nervous excitement and calms you down.Studies have shown them to be effective in decreasing anxiety symptoms in approximately 70-80% of patients.

If it were not for certain drawbacks like side effects, tolerance-building, and withdrawal effects, benzodiazepines might be considered an effective cure for agoraphobia. They work really well for most people.

Side effects specific to each benzodiazepine are listed in Appendix D. Overall, the most common possible side effects of benzodiazepines include drowsiness, lethargy, inability to concentrate, slurring of speech, decrease in muscle coordination, and headaches. Side effects are more likely to occur during the first few weeks, but will sometimes go away if you gradually increase your dosage. While taking benzodiazepines you should be careful about drinking alcohol because it will intensify the sedative effects.
For some people, benzodiazepines can be habit-forming. Most benzodiazepines can be physically addictive, psychologically addictive, or both.

Also, most people who take benzodiazepines regularly end up developing a tolerance for them. This means that the body gets used to them and it takes more and more of the drug to get the same effect. In this case, you will eventually have to quit taking them, which means possibly suffering from withdrawal symptoms. At least 50% of people who take benzodizepines experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking them

Withdrawal symptoms occur because you body has adjusted and compensated for the presence of the medication. More specifically, the use of benzodiazepines decreases the inhibitory activity of your brain’s GABA and benzodiazepine receptors. Over time, this causes a reduction in the number and function of GABA receptors. Suddenly discontinuing the use of benzodiazepines sends the brain into a state of GABA-underactivity putting the nervous system in a highly aroused state.

Paradoxically, the withdrawal symptoms are similar to the symptoms of agoraphobia and other anxiety disorders. You might end up worse off than when you started because the side effects might be worse than the original anxiety.

Agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic attacks are actually listed among common withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepines in some pharmaceutical literature. Other possible withdrawal symptoms include breathing difficulties, blurred vision, depression, dizziness, lethargy, feelings of unreality, heart palpitations, hypersensitivity to light, indigestion, insomnia, irritability, loss of concentration, loss of balance, loss of memory, nausea, nightmares, rapid mood swings, severe headaches, sweating, and tightness in the chest.

Strong withdrawal symptoms are felt by nearly everyone who stops taking benzodiazepines too suddenly. To stop taking a benzodiazepine without feeling strong withdrawal symptoms, its best to do so gradually and under a doctor’s supervision.

Because of the potential complications associated with regular use, the most advisable use for benzodiazepines is to help you through a particularly difficult situation, or when practicing desensitization. When used for desensitization, benzodiazepines can give the user a window of opportunity to practice entering feared places and situations with a lessened chance of anxiety building up.

An even safer use for benzodiazepines is carrying them in your pocket. This can give you the security of knowing that you can stop anxiety if you absolutely need to. Just having them at your disposal can give you the confidence to venture out into unsafe territory.

Article Source: http://www.agoraphobia.net

Stephen Price is a recovered agoraphobic with a master’s degree in psychology. He has an informational website on agoraphobia with a free newsletter. It is found on the web at: www.agoraphobia.ws

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