They do, however, have potential for abuse and can be addictive. For this reason, they are usually only recommended for short-term or occasional use. A certain amount of anxiety or insomnia is a normal reaction to what is happening in your life. You may worry or feel stressed, and sometimes these feelings can keep you up at night.

Most often, these feelings pass and are not a problem. However, these feelings can become a problem when they continue over a longer term, cause severe distress, make you feel physically ill and affect your behaviour.

This kind of anxiety may be triggered by a challenging life event. It can also be a symptom of a mental health problem. The ability to fall asleep and to sleep through the night can be affected by many types of health problems.

These include physical conditions that cause pain or trouble breathing, as well as mental health problems. When sleep is disrupted, health can be further affected. While each situation is unique and different treatment approaches may be called for, benzodiazepines can help to provide relief.

Benzodiazepines enhance the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA—a chemical in the brain that helps you to feel calm. Their effect also produces drowsiness, making it easier to fall asleep and sleep through the night.

The side-effects of benzodiazepines are generally mild and may not be noticed when these drugs are used at low doses. Other possible effects, which are extremely rare, include agitation, hallucinations and nightmares.

Reducing the dose can help to reduce side-effects. Benzodiazepines can make it harder to learn and remember new information and to do certain physical and mental tasks. These abilities return to normal once the effect of the drug wears off. Many types of benzodiazepines are available in Canada.

All benzodiazepines work the same way; however, the intensity and duration of their effects vary. Also used are bromazepam Lectopam , oxazepam Serax , chlordiazepoxide once marketed as Librium , clorazepate Tranxene and diazepam Valium. Benzodiazepines used for the treatment of insomnia include lorazepam Ativan , nitrazepam Mogadon , oxazepam Serax , temazepam Restoril , triazolam Halcion and flurazepam Dalmane.

Another drug used for insomnia is zopiclone Imovane. This drug is similar to benzodiazepines and has similar side-effects. Zopiclone may have less abuse potential than some benzodiazepines; however, people can still become addicted to this drug. Benzodiazepines are available in the form of tablets or capsules, which are taken by mouth.

Some are also available as a sublingual tablet, which is dissolved under the tongue, or as a solution for injection. Brand names available in Canada appear here in brackets. For example, alprazolam Xanax and lorazepam Ativan. For most people, benzodiazepines are helpful only as a temporary measure, to be used only in the following ways:.

Some people may continue to use benzodiazepines for longer, even months or years. Some do so because they continue to find these drugs helpful and have agreed with their prescribing physician that the benefits of continuing to use them outweigh the risks. There are also those who continue to use benzodiazepines over a longer term because the prescribing doctor has not re-examined their continued use.

In this instance, ask another doctor to review your prescription. When used on occasion or daily for a few weeks, benzodiazepines have a low risk of addiction.

This risk increases, however, when benzodiazepines are taken regularly for more than a few weeks, especially when they are taken in higher than normal doses. People with a history of substance abuse should avoid or minimize use of benzodiazepines as they are at higher risk of becoming addicted.

Signs of addiction include strong cravings for the effects of the drug, taking more of the drug than intended and continuing to use the drug despite the problems it may cause.

Addiction may develop with or without physical dependence. Physical dependence: When benzodiazepines are taken regularly over a long period of time, the body adapts to the presence of the drug.

This is known as physical dependence. Physical dependence, on its own, is not the same as addiction. Signs of physical dependence include tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance: People are said to have developed tolerance to a drug when the same dose, taken over time, no longer has the desired effect.

With benzodiazepines, it is known that:. Some people who develop tolerance may take higher and higher doses to feel the same intensity of effect as when they started taking the drug. These people may find it difficult to stop using benzodiazepines.

Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms of benzodiazepines may be similar to the reasons why the drugs were prescribed in the first place.

The severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on the type of benzodiazepine used, the amount used and length of time it is used, and on whether the drug is stopped abruptly. Symptoms can include headache, insomnia, anxiety, tension, sweating, difficulty concentrating, tremor, sensory disturbances, fatigue, stomach upset and loss of appetite.

Severe withdrawal symptoms from regular use of benzodiazepines in high doses may include agitation, paranoia, delirium and seizures. Withdrawal symptoms generally begin within a few days after treatment is stopped, and they may continue for two to four weeks or longer.

Once you have slept well for two or three nights in a row, try to get to sleep without taking the medication. If you have been taking benzodiazepines regularly for a few weeks or more, check with your doctor before reducing or stopping your medication.

Most often, benzodiazepines are prescribed to help people get through stressful situations or to provide relief while waiting for other treatment to take effect. When used in this way, on occasion or daily for a few weeks, most people can stop taking them without difficulty or withdrawal effects.

Stopping use can, however, be hard for some people, even when the use is short term. Problems are most likely to occur when:. People who wish to stop using benzodiazepines after using them regularly over a longer term will need to cut back their use gradually over an extended period of time.

This approach reduces withdrawal effects and helps ensure success in stopping. Because the ideal process for cutting down varies depending on the benzodiazepine you are taking, the dose and the length of time you have been taking it, ask your doctor to help you set up a schedule. If the long-term use has been at high doses, stopping use requires medical supervision.

These drugs may interact with other medications. If your doctor or dentist prescribes any medication, inform him or her about the drug you are taking. Check with your pharmacist before using any over-the-counter medication, including herbal products, cold or allergy tablets, or cough syrups.

When taken on their own, the risk of overdose with benzodiazepines is low; however, combining these drugs with other sedatives, such as alcohol, or with medications containing codeine or other opioid drugs, can result in overdose and possible death.

Symptoms of overdose include slurred speech, confusion, severe drowsiness, weakness and staggering, slow heartbeat, breathing problems and unconsciousness. Benzodiazepines can be dangerous when combined with alcohol.

Benzodiazepines increase the effects of alcohol, making you more sleepy, dizzy or lightheaded. One danger of this is the increased risk of stumbling, falling and related injuries.

Another is the increased risk of overdose. Both alcohol and benzodiazepines slow down the central nervous system, which controls breathing.

In overdose, breathing can stop. Drinking too many caffeinated beverages i. Street drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, have effects that can worsen symptoms of anxiety and interfere with sleep—making you feel worse, rather than better. Taking benzodiazepines to enhance the effect of other sedative drugs, such as opioids, is dangerous and increases the risk of overdose and injury.

Benzodiazepines can affect your ability to drive a vehicle and increase the risk of a crash, especially if taken in combination with alcohol or other sedative drugs. Some people also report strange dreams or difficulty sleeping when they take buspirone.

Antidepressant medications work by affecting neurotransmitters. These drugs can be used to treat anxiety symptoms , but they usually take 4 to 6 weeks to produce noticeable effects. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs work by increasing levels of serotonin , a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sexual desire, appetite, sleep, and memory.

SSRIs are typically started at a low dose that your doctor gradually increases. SSRIs can cause a variety of side effects, but most people tolerate them well.

Side effects can include :. Tricyclics work as well as SSRIs do for treating most anxiety disorders, except obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD. Like SSRIs, tricyclics are started at a low dose and then increased gradually.

Tricyclics are older drugs that are used less often because newer drugs cause fewer side effects. Side effects of tricyclics can include :. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs are used to treat panic disorder and social phobia. They work by increasing the number of neurotransmitters that regulate mood.

MAOIs that are FDA approved to treat depression but used off-label for anxiety include:. Like tricyclics, MAOIs are older drugs that cause more side effects than newer drugs. Some side effects include :. Certain medications, including SSRIs, some birth control pills , pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, cold and allergy medications, and herbal supplements can react with MAOIs.

Using an MAOI with medications can dangerously increase your blood pressure and cause other potentially life threatening side effects. Beta-blockers are most often used to treat heart conditions.

Your doctor may prescribe a beta-blocker such as propranolol Inderal to help reduce your anxiety symptoms in stressful situations, such as attending a party or giving a speech.

Some potential side effects can include :. There are a variety of at-home interventions that can help ease your anxiety symptoms.

Several interventions can also be practiced in addition to taking medications. Exercise can help reduce stress and enhance your overall sense of well-being, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America ADAA.

It helps produce neurotransmitters known as endorphins. The ADAA reports that even short exercise sessions about 10 minutes at a time are effective in helping lift your mood.

Taking minute intervals of quiet time and meditation to focus on deep breathing and relaxation can help calm your anxiety. You can listen to music or repeat a motivational mantra on a regular basis.

A double-blind study published in the Phytomedicine journal focused on individuals with generalized anxiety disorder. The study found that study participants who took milligram chamomile supplements three times per day on a daily basis reported a reduction in moderate to severe generalized anxiety.

Smelling diluted aromatherapy oils may help reduce anxiety, according to an article published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal. Sometimes caffeine may make you feel jittery and more anxious.

Avoiding it can help some people reduce their anxiety. Your doctor can help you find the best course of treatment for your anxiety. Proper treatment will likely include psychotherapy and medication.

Be sure to follow their instructions when taking anxiety medications and let them know about any side effects you have. Also, ask any questions you have about your condition or your treatment, such as:. If you need help finding a primary care doctor, then check out our FindCare tool here.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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