What class of medication is typically used to treat anxiety disorders?

Antidepressants are typically used to treat anxiety disorders due to their effectiveness in modulating neurotransmitter systems that influence mood and anxiety levels. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which are common classes of antidepressants, help increase the availability of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. This results in improved mood and reduced anxiety symptoms.

While other classes of medications like beta-blockers can be helpful for specific situations, such as performance anxiety, they are not first-line treatments for generalized anxiety disorders. Opioids are primarily used for pain management and carry a risk of addiction; thus, they are not appropriate for treating anxiety. Stimulants are generally used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and may exacerbate anxiety symptoms rather than alleviate them. Therefore, the use of antidepressants represents the standard approach for managing anxiety disorders effectively.