“How long should you be on antidepressants for anxiety?”
I am a 28 year old female. I want to know how long should you be on antidepressants for anxiety?
3 Answers
Anxiety tends to be a chronic condition. If you have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and are finding that antidepressants are beneficial, you would most likely stay on them as a maintenance medication. Of course there are other approaches to managing anxiety which could complement or potentially replace medication.
For as long as it helps without experiencing adverse effects and IF participating in psychotherapy does not help eliminate the thoughts that originated anxiety. All this implies that substances or medical illnesses are not at the root of your anxiety.
There is no standard answer to this question. I don't think there is any evidence that antidepressants are a good long-term solution to symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety is usually a reaction to stressful life circumstances. Identifying those circumstances and finding ways to change them is, in my experience, the best treatment.
