Whenever things go wrong at home, in the office, or in our interaction with people --- it is but normal to feel jumpy, restless, irritable, or uneasy. This feeling is often termed as anxiety. A person with anxiety may also show exhibit apprehension, or experience stomach aches, nausea, blurred vision, shaking, sweatiness, breathing problems, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and chestpains.



This serious emotional distress can be so troublesome as to disrupt one's normal daily routine. Aside from being an emotional problem, it is also a source of physical health deterioration. A person under extreme stress or depression may also become ?emotionally crippled,? and, as a consequence, negatively affect work performance or cause damage to relationships with family, friends, and loved ones.

On a positive note, there are now anti anxiety drugs available in the market. These medications are prescribed by doctors to people who are no longer able to manage their worries and other emotional difficulties. Needless to say, it is important to always consult a doctor before taking this drug. Unsupervised intake of anti anxiety drugs may lead to unwanted side effects or more serious consequences.

But how do these drugs work? An anti anxiety drug helps a person feel more calm and relaxed. It helps reduce or eliminate various symptoms associated with emotional distress. Other uses for anti anxiety drugs include the prevention and treatment of seizures; as an anesthetic; or as a muscle relaxant. These medical applications are actually for non-psychiatric purposes.

There are different kinds of ?worry? management drugs already out in the market. Benzodiazepine is one example of medication that is now in wide used for treatment of emotional disturbances. Also used for treatment of general emotional disorders is buspirone (BuSpar), a non-benzodiazepine.

In bustling cities like New York, the use of these drugs is quite common. There are, in fact, so-called ?off-label? drugs that have not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. These drugs are abused and peddled by unscrupulous elements without medical approval, and thus, pose a serious health risk.

According to a research conducted by the Linden Center, more than 84,000 patients have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder for this year alone. It can be said that thousands more are in dire need of anxiety medication --- and don't know it. Undiagnosed cases of high anxiety may explain some cases of suicides and other self-inflicted, harmful behavior.

The high speed, high-stress nature of 21st century life has probably made emotional distress as one of the most widespread psycho-social and emotional problems faced by man. But there is reason to believe that it can be addressed through proper education and information about the ways and methods to manage worry and depression. Aside from taking medication, people may now opt to undergo psychiatric treatment, counseling and group therapy. Indeed, there are many ways to rid of the ?blues? but we need to be committed and persistent in pursuing what is good for our mental, emotional, and physical health.