“What is the best non-addictive anti-anxiety medication?”

So-called best needs to tailer to each individual. However, not many options. Propranolol or hydroxyzine can be tried.

Antidepressant are the treatment and they are not addictive.

Could be Buspirone. Always seek professional help.

There are many many non-addictive medications that are excellent for anxiety. The key is knowing which side effects are most likely with a given medication, and certain aspects of treating your anxiety that are most important to you. There are a slew of SSR I and SNRI medications, along with medicine such as buspirone and mirtazapine. You should consult your friendly psychiatrist to choose the best medication for your needs and your physiology. Hope this helps, Lance

Lance Steinberg MD, Inc.

Depending on type of anxiety, generally speaking, the class of antidepressants are one of the safest and most effective options available at present. There are also non-addictive medications for control of panic attacks.

There are actually many medications indicated to treat anxiety which are not addictive. Usually, SSRI's are effective in treating anxiety long term. Although they are not addictive, they should be tapered down and not discontinued abruptly. Other long-term medication is buspirone. Not all medications work exactly the same for everybody. You should work together with your physician and let him/her know of undesirable side effects and if the medication is being effective or not. Usually, the efficacy can be improved by increasing the dose if you're not already on the highest one already. Medications like Vistaryl, trazodone, can be used on a short-term or as needed basis. Like any other symptom, it should be evaluated with a full medical history and physical exam since they may be caused by other underlying conditions such as hyperthyroidism, depression, PTSD, and others.

I'm becoming increasingly impressed by buspirone (trade name Buspar), which works well most of the time and is completely nonaddicting. The other choices are a variety of antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro. Whatever you do, avoid benzodiazepines like Ativan, Klonopin, and especially Xanax. They're addicting, and over time they make anxiety worse. The trick with any of the medications I mention is to start with a really low dose and then gradually increase it until you get the result you want.

Generally, the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are regarded as first-line treatments of anxiety disorders and are not addictive in the sense that they do not produce cravings and people do not generally engage in 'addictive behaviors' related to them. These medications do need to be tapered off, but again, unlike addictive medications, there is no particular craving that is associated with tapering off of them.