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Sometimes a person with anxiety will be treated with
just one approach. More often, though, doctors use a bit
of both. Researchers are still exploring whether medication
alone, therapy alone, or medicine and therapy together are
best for treating anxiety. For many kids, the combination
helps the most.
Medicine for Anxiety
Several types of drugs are used to treat anxiety disorders. The
most popular type has a very long name: selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). You might have heard of drug
names like Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. These are all SSRIs.
How do SSRIs work? Your brain has billions of special cells
called
neurons
. SSRIs work by helping all those neurons do
their jobs better.
Suicidal Thoughts
Studies have found that SSRIs might cause an
increase in suicidal thoughts in certain patients.
The vast majority of patients do not have
this problem, but it can happen. So if you or
someone you know is having suicidal thoughts,
it is very important to tell an adult right away. In
fact, you should tell someone about all the side
effects you experience from SSRIs.
When kids are involved, doctors usually
have a conversation with caregivers about what side effects might occur. Hopefully,
this will make it easier to talk to them about it.