Which medicine relieves depression and anxiety?

No single drug is the "standard answer" that is effective for everyone. Currently, the commonly used antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs in clinical frontline are mainly SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine) and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, such as (such as venlafaxine, duloxetine). For some patients with particularly severe anxiety symptoms in the acute phase, doctors will also prescribe benzodiazepines such as alprazolam and lorazepam for a short period of time as a transition. The specific type and dosage depends on the patient's symptom characteristics, physical tolerance, past medical history and even economic status. There is no unified optimal option.

When I was doing volunteer service in the psychiatric department, I saw many patients who wanted to "copy their homework." There was a boy who had just worked for two years. He suffered from moderate anxiety due to long-term rush for projects and suffered from migraines from time to time. I heard from colleagues in the same department who also had anxiety problems that duloxetine was effective. I bought it secretly and took it for three days. My headache didn't go away, but my heart rate soared to over 110. I couldn't sleep all night, so I rushed to the emergency room to register. Later, the doctor gave him sertraline, combined with low-dose buspirone, and within two weeks of taking it, most of his uncomfortable symptoms were relieved.

Many people have concerns about this type of medicine, fearing that they will not be able to stop taking it and will become stupid. This is actually a common misunderstanding. The SSRI and SNRI drugs currently used as first-line drugs are not addictive. The so-called "drug withdrawal reaction" is just the body's adaptation process when the drug is withdrawn too quickly. Slowly and gradually reducing the drug will basically not cause obvious discomfort. On the contrary, the "sedative and sleep-aiding" benzodiazepine drugs that everyone is often worried about may indeed have a risk of dependence if taken continuously for more than one month. Therefore, in clinical practice, they will only be temporarily prescribed in the first two weeks when antidepressants have not yet taken effect. They will not be used as long-term medications. If you take them as directed by your doctor, there will be basically no problems.

Don’t think that you have to take medicine if you have emotional problems. Last month, a sophomore girl I contacted just broke up with her boyfriend of three years. She couldn’t eat or sleep for two consecutive weeks. Her self-assessed depression scale reached moderate. She was already ready to take medicine. After the doctor’s evaluation, she felt that she was clearly suffering from depression. She had obvious stress-induced emotional reactions, no family history and no obvious physical symptoms. She was first referred to a cognitive behavioral therapy consultant. She also signed up for a pottery class that she had always wanted to learn. After adjusting for more than a month, she went back for a follow-up visit. The scale score returned to the normal range, and she did not need to take medicine at all.

In fact, choosing medicine is really like choosing shoes for your feet. Others wear soft sneakers, but if your feet are wide, they may be full of blisters. The best ones are suitable for you. If you really feel that you are emotionally disturbed to the point where you need to take medication, don't do random research and buy on your own. Go to a regular psychiatrist to see a doctor for a comprehensive evaluation. Just follow the doctor's advice and take it without putting too much psychological burden.