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Pharmacological treatment for anxiety can sometimes feel like a bit of trial and error. This is because it can sometimes be quite difficult to figure...
Pharmacological treatment for anxiety can sometimes feel like a bit of trial and error. This is because it can sometimes be quite difficult to figure out the right dose of anxiety medication for you; finding the right balance might take some time. The most commonly used anxiety medication is usually a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (more commonly known as a SSRI) or a type of serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI for short). These medicines have an effect on your brain’s chemical signalling and the body will need some time to adjust to them. If this is your first time taking anxiety medication, you may feel concerned about whether the treatment is working and hence if there are any changes that should be made to the dose. Read on as we answer some commonly asked questions about anxiety medication doses and when to consult a doctor. Please note it is crucial that any medication dose changes should always be guided by your doctor’s advice as both over-treatment, under-treatment, or any sudden dose change could have harmful effects.
When you are struggling with anxiety and you have sought out medical advice, it is completely understandable that being told that medical treatment for anxiety can be disappointing to hear. A lot of the time, noticeable benefits from taking anxiety medication can take 2-6 weeks or even longer for the full effect of the medication. It is not uncommon for someone to require a few medication reviews with their doctor to make some dose adjustments gradually; this can help to improve the control of symptoms and decrease potential side effects.
The response to medication for anxiety can vary greatly from person to person hence finding the right medication let alone the dose can take time. Some individual factors that can influence medication effects include: any pre-existing health conditions, any other regular medication, individual metabolism, and the nature of this person’s symptoms of anxiety. Thus, the general approach to prescribing is to start someone on a lower dose of anxiety medication, monitor effects, review, and increase it slowly if required.
As mentioned, it can take some time (from around 2 to sometimes 6 weeks) for anxiety medication to start showing noticeable effects. However, if you have been taking the medication for around a month and the anxiety symptoms are still affecting your daily life, this may suggest that your dose may need to be increased.
A key aspect to monitoring how effective an anxiety medication is, is to look at how much anxiety symptoms continue to interfere with your daily life despite taking medication. Some signs of this to look out for include:
If any of these points apply to you, it may be helpful to consult your doctor about the ongoing symptoms and a potential medication review.
On the other hand, it is also harmful for the dose of anxiety treatment to be too high. Some signs that this may be happening often show up as side effects. For example:
Some of these symptoms may be normal anxiety medication side effects, if this is the case then the side effects should go away after some time as your body gets used to the medication. However, if the side effects persist or get worse, please consult your healthcare provider as the dose may need to be assessed and adjusted.
A higher or stronger dose does not automatically mean that the medication will work more effectively or have a greater effect. In fact, as mentioned, a dose that is too high can be harmful. The key point is that the dose (and medication) needs to be right for you specifically.
Actually, a lot of medications have recognised side effects as the body tries to get used to the new medication introduced. Side effects can be both physical or emotional reactions due to taking a medication while anxiety symptoms are due to the underlying condition. At times, side effects and anxiety symptoms can overlap or mimic each other, thus it is understandable that differentiating between the two can be confusing or difficult. An example of this includes:
There is no simple way to immediately differentiate between symptoms caused by anxiety versus a side effect due to anxiety medication. It can be helpful to keep a diary of symptoms to monitor them over time. This can help to track any triggers, whether symptoms are improving or worsening, or any other changes experienced when starting medication.
If you do decide to keep a diary to track any symptoms or side effects, it may be helpful to focus on three areas: sleep, energy, and concentration. These areas are often where symptoms and side effects look most like each other. For example:
There are several factors that can influence how medical anxiety disorder treatment works for you. You can think of this in three different categories: medical, lifestyle, and medication factors.
| Medical factors | any pre-existing medical conditions (e.g thyroid problems) can influence anxiety symptoms and how well anxiety medications worksimilarly, any regular medications including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and herbal medications may interact with anxiety medication or make anxiety symptoms better or worse |
| Lifestyle factors | any recent major life events/changes can contribute to anxiety and/or affect medical treatmentgeneral stress levels can also affect anxietyalcohol use, especially if excessive, can make anxiety symptoms worse and potentially interact with anxiety medications |
| Medication factors | whether the medication is right for youthe dose of your anxiety medication can affect symptoms or cause side effects mimicking anxietywhether you are taking the medication as prescribed consistentlyhow long you have been taking anxiety medication for |
So when should you speak to your healthcare provider or doctor about potentially changing the dose of anxiety medication you are on? Often, if you are starting anxiety medication for the first time, your healthcare provider should organise a follow up medication review. However, in some cases, it may be helpful to speak to your healthcare provider before this review date. For example, you are advised to contact your doctor if:
It is very important that you do not change your dose or stop taking the medication without consulting your healthcare provider first. This is because it may lead to harmful withdrawal effects or make your anxiety symptoms worse.
If you have decided to consult your healthcare provider about potentially making a change to your dose of anxiety medication, keeping a record of symptoms or side effects can provide your doctor with helpful information about how you have been doing on the medication and this can guide any potential medication adjustments. Try to make a note of the following factors:
For the best long-term outcomes of anxiety treatment, it is advised that a combination of interventions are used rather than just relying on medication. For example, lifestyle changes (healthy diet, regular exercise, stop smoking, cut down on drinking), talking therapies (e.g Cognitive Behavioural Therapy CBT), and medication together form a strong approach for treating someone with an anxiety disorder. This kind of holistic approach can not only help to reduce symptoms but also improve quality of life, functioning at school/work, improve relationships, and emotional resilience.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to anxiety that are out of your control (e.g pre-existing medical conditions, major stressful life events, how your body responds to the treatment etc.). However, there are also many factors that you can control to help you get the best results from your treatment plan. Here are some tips to help you:
Some people may feel like taking anxiety medication makes them a failure or that it is not a Men’s Health Medicine, this is not true at all. If you are struggling with anxiety, please remember that you are not alone. It is a very common condition that can be treated with a combination of lifestyle changes as well as therapy and medication.