“Is it safe for my daughter to be on anxiety medication?”
My daughter is 16 years old and is going to talk therapy for the anxiety she feels while at school, mainly because of her grades and also because of her friends. The psychiatrist suggested for her to be on anti-anxiety medication... but I just feel like she's way too young for that. I know Xanax is so commonly abused by teens her age and I don't want my daughter to become dependent on it. I told her psychiatrist no, for now. But I'm just wondering... am I making the right decision for my daughter?
8 Answers
If there is anxiety or depression present, what is recommended is antidepressants which can treat anxiety as well and safely. It's not addictive.
You are right that benzodiazepines can cause addiction. Maybe an antidepressant is a better option, but obviously I would need to know more about her and the symptoms.
I do not recommend any antianxiety medication, as they lead to more complications. I suggest supportive therapy.
I'm glad that you're taking time to explore this issue. Benzodiazepines, like Xanax, do decrease anxiety...but it's easy to stay on these drugs and hard to get off them. These medications cannot be stopped suddenly. That will throw an individual into withdrawal. Tolerance develops with Xanax, which means that, "If the effect is 100% initially, in a few months that same dose may feel 70% effective...then 50%, etc.” What to do: 1) Consider natural treatments like the amino acid L-theanine and the herb kava kava, 2) Find a psychotherapist to help your daughter explore her feelings, thoughts, insecurities without focusing entirely on anxiety. 3) I practiced child and adolescent psychiatry for 8 or 9 years. One thing I learned was to be careful about jumping to diagnose a teenager. "Normal" adolescence includes: hormonal changes, identity changes and identity crises, and mood instability. That's Normal, so I want to know if this anxious teenager is experiencing normal teenage issues...or if she or he has a true mental disorder. 4) Increase exercise, 5) meditate, 6) learn breath techniques that can decrease anxiety significantly in less than 60 seconds. 7) Get your daughter grounded. I don't mean punishment! Prolonged barefoot contact with the Earth's bioelectrical field decreases inflammation and normalizes the stress response, which will decrease anxiety. 8) Identify what your daughter really likes to do. Sports, music? Foster those activities she loves and support her through the frequent chaos of adolescence. Avoid jumping to the quick psychiatric decision to medicate without first getting to know the person who has the problem. Best of Luck.
Yes, you are making the right decision for your daughter. I would recommend being extremely conservative in using medication in these circumstances. Your daughter should be given more chances to address the circumstances that are leading to her anxiety. A therapist should be able to help her.
This is a situation that requires careful evaluation. If her anxiety is too strong, it may interfere with her talk therapy which is most appropriate. I personally would select a longer acting medication such as clonazepam which is less likely to be abused and less habituating.
Psychotherapy is usually first line treatment in younger people if possible. Medications may be a consideration if therapy is insufficient. Generally medications like SSRIs would be first line pharmacological treatment for an anxiety disorder rather than something like benzodiazepines. It is helpful to be well informed. You may find reliable information at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry under the section for Families and Youth at AACAP.org
There are many treatments for anxiety that are not pharamacologic. If medicine is to be used Fluoxetine (Prozac) is vastly safer
