The worrying and rumination that characterize generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can keep you from focusing on what matters. For many people, medication can reduce these overwhelming symptoms by easing the intensity and frequency of anxious thoughts. At ReKlame Health, we provide psychiatric and medication management services to treat GAD.

Explore your options for GAD treatment

If you reach out to ReKlame, you can expect appointment availability within 48 hours. A psychiatric nurse practitioner can listen to you, your experiences with anxiety and your goals for treatment. They may recommend:

Long-acting medications

These medications may take time to take effect, but when their effect builds, it may provide continuous support. Your psychiatric nurse practitioner may recommend one of the following types of long-acting medication for generalized anxiety disorder:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs are often first-line treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. They prevent your system from reabsorbing the serotonin that it produces, with the goal of allowing more of this mood-regulating neurotransmitter to be absorbed properly in your brain. They are also used to treat other anxiety disorders as well as depressive disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. If you have multiple conditions, like GAD and major depressive disorder, you may find this option suitable.

SSRIs take time to have an effect that you can feel. This may take four to eight weeks, or up to 12 weeks.

Common generic medications and brand names: sertraline (Zoloft) and citalopram (Celexa)

• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

SNRIs are similar to SSRIs: Both types of medication affect the reuptake of serotonin. SNRIs also affect norepinephrine. These medications are used to treat anxiety disorders and depressive disorders. They may have a positive effect by allowing your system to absorb more serotonin and norepinephrine, which plays a role in mood regulation.

SNRIs may take more time to have an effect that you notice. This may be four to six weeks. It may take as long as nine to 12 weeks.

Common generic medications and brand names: duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor)

• Pregabalin

Pregabalin is an anticonvulsant that may be used off-label to treat GAD. This medication, sold under the brand name Lyrica, is primarily prescribed for nerve pain in conditions like fibromyalgia. However, research suggests that it is effective for GAD. One meta-analysis even found that it may be more effective than SSRIs, SNRIs or benzodiazepines for treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.

Pregabalin can take a few weeks to work. Meta-analysis studies’ participants were found to have less anxiety when assessed after two weeks.

• Buspirone

Buspirone affects the brain’s levels of serotonin and dopamine. It has approval as a medication for generalized anxiety disorder. This medication, sold under the brand name Buspar, may be prescribed alone or in addition to an SSRI or SNRI.

It may take three weeks to a month to help you feel better.

Short-acting medications

These medications don’t provide continuous support all day, every day. Instead, they work within hours and leave your system quickly. Your treatment provider may opt for short-acting medications if you need help with anxiety that peaks rapidly. They may also consider short-acting medications if you have panic attacks.

• Hydroxyzine

Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine. If you have ever felt relaxed or even sleepy after taking an antihistamine, you may understand some of its effects. A professional can provide a hydroxyzine dose that minimizes drowsiness while providing effective anxiety support.

Your prescriber might provide a schedule for hydroxyzine doses, such as daily doses, or instruct you to take it as needed. You may notice symptoms easing within hours.

• Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. They affect the central nervous system to reduce anxiety and cause sedation. While they may be helpful, they can cause dependence to form in only a few weeks.

Different benzodiazepines can take varying amounts of time to work. The effects of lorazepam (Ativan) can peak two hours after taking the medication. Diazepam (Valium) can take effect in 15 to 30 minutes.

Common generic medications and brand names: lorazepam (Ativan) and clonazepam (Klonopin)

Find out about treatment for common symptoms or co-occurring conditions

Unfortunately, an anxiety disorder might bring an unwanted plus-one to your party. You might also experience symptoms like insomnia, nausea or acid reflux.

Your psychiatric nurse practitioner may:

• Discuss your mental health and ask comprehensive questions to see the bigger picture
• Assess issues that may be related to anxiety, like insomnia that may occur when nothing distracts you from your thoughts at night
• Suggest healthier lifestyle changes like building a sleep hygiene routine
• Recommend over-the-counter medications that may ease discomfort
• Prescribe medication to help you sleep

You may have other mental health conditions, too, like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Your ReKlame psychiatric nurse practitioner can create a treatment plan for multiple diagnoses.

They can also support you if you are dealing with dual diagnosis, or the combination of a substance use disorder and another mental health condition like GAD. They may provide medication-assisted treatment to help you reduce or end substance use, or reduce the risk of repeat drug use. A care navigator can provide connections to additional resources.

Learn more about GAD

If you have developed symptoms of GAD, you might feel like they came out of nowhere. But it’s possible that they were preceded by certain experiences or they were present in your family’s background.

Risk factors for GAD include:

• Family history of anxiety symptoms 

You may have relatives with diagnosed anxiety disorders, or you may have relatives with noticeable similarities to your own anxious behaviors or thought patterns. Maybe your mother isn’t diagnosed with social anxiety, but she dreads meetings and appointments. Perhaps your grandfather was never considered to have claustrophobia, but he couldn’t use elevators or handle an MRI.

• Traumatic experiences in childhood or later in life 

These may include witnessing or experiencing violent incidents, abuse from others, accidents or natural disasters. Other significantly stressful experiences might be a separation in your family or having a family member with a substance use disorder.

• Other mental health conditions like another anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder 

Mental health conditions may co-occur. Symptoms of GAD might accompany symptoms of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder or a similar condition. They might also arise when you’re struggling with depression symptoms.

• Medical conditions including hypertension, migraines and gastrointestinal problems 

Correlation isn’t causation, but some conditions have been found to be more common among people with anxiety.

• Stimulant prescription medication use, stimulant drug use or even a caffeine habit 

Stimulants might aggravate existing anxiety symptoms or cause a non-anxious person’s mood to shift direction. Even mild stimulants may have a noticeable effect if you have GAD.

You can explore your history with GAD with a psychiatric nurse practitioner at ReKlame. You can also share your present experiences and plan a path forward. Give our care team a call today for more information, check your eligibility for free online or book an initial appointment online.