Xanax is a prescription medication that was approved in 1981 by the United States Food and Drug Administration. It was originally approved for the treatment of panic disorders, and is still widely used for this purpose. This medication is one of the few medications that was developed specifically for the treatment of panic disorders, as before Xanax most patients were treated with antidepressants, which in some cases would only serve to make the feelings of anxiety or panic even worse. Today Xanax is widely used for the treatment of anxiety disorders. It has proved to be a very effective treatment of anxiety disorders of all types. Like the treatment of panic disorders, Xanax can only be used short term in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Generally speaking, Xanax is prescribed for very short periods of time, usually less than eight weeks. It is usually used to treat panic disorders but is also commonly used to treat agoraphobia. The medication is only used short term because it is not effective long term and it is habit forming. Doctors will use Xanax short term until other medications can be added to the regimen and will begin to be effective. generic Xanax
This effective prescription medication is often prescribed for patients who have anxiety that is associated with depression. Xanax is also thought to have an antidepressant quality to it, so it makes sense to treat a patient with a medication that will not only help with the feelings of anxiety, but also the depression that is the underlying issue. Yet, when taken for long periods of time Xanax is known to cause depression, so it must be prescribed with care, especially for those who are already suffering from depression.