Anxiety Medication: What It Does, What It Doesn't, and What You Should Know

Anxiety medication is the most commonly prescribed first-line treatment for anxiety disorders. In the UK, over 8 million people are prescribed antidepressants — most for anxiety. In the US, benzodiazepines are prescribed to over 30 million people annually. And yet the majority of people on anxiety medication continue to suffer from anxiety. This is not a coincidence.

Types of Anxiety Medication

• SSRIs (e.g. sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram) — the most commonly prescribed; increase serotonin availability
• SNRIs (e.g. venlafaxine, duloxetine) — affect both serotonin and noradrenaline
• Benzodiazepines (e.g. diazepam, lorazepam) — fast-acting sedatives; highly addictive
• Beta-blockers (e.g. propranolol) — block physical symptoms like palpitations and trembling
• Buspirone — anti-anxiety medication; slower onset but less sedating
• Pregabalin / gabapentin — increasingly prescribed for anxiety

What Anxiety Medication Actually Does

All anxiety medications work by suppressing the outputs of the anxiety response — calming the nervous system, blocking physical symptoms, or altering neurotransmitter levels. None of them address the underlying threat-detection mechanism. This means that while symptoms may reduce while taking the medication, the anxiety is still there — simply suppressed. When the medication is stopped, it returns.

The Problem with Long-Term Medication

Long-term anxiety medication use carries significant concerns: tolerance (needing increasing doses for the same effect), dependency, discontinuation syndrome (severe symptoms when stopping), sexual dysfunction, emotional blunting, weight gain, and cognitive effects. Benzodiazepines can be extremely difficult to withdraw from safely and have significant dependency potential.

Can You Recover from Anxiety on Medication?

Yes — many people have recovered from anxiety while taking medication and subsequently been able to discontinue it safely. Medication is not a barrier to recovery, but it is also not a recovery tool. If you are currently taking anxiety medication and wish to recover, The Linden Method works alongside medication and does not require you to stop before starting. Recovery happens through correcting the anxiety mechanism — and when that is achieved, medication is typically no longer needed.