Treating Stress with Drugs - Good Choice of Bad Choice?Stress in itself cannot be treated. The only way to relieve stress is to eliminate its cause or source. But in cases of intense or chronic stress, anti-depressants such as Prozac, Deroxat and Zoloft or anxiolytics such as Xanax, Temesta, Lexomil and Valium are often prescribed for treating stress with drugs. * Whereas these medications act upon the general nervous system, other various symptoms of stress, namely anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, headache, dizziness, muscle tension (especially jaw, neck and back muscles), heart palpitations, hypertension, indigestion, heartburn, skin rashes, alopecia, shaky limbs, tremor, sexual difficulties and so on, can be treated through more specific drugs. In fact, anti-depressants and anxiolytics calm down hyperactive neurotransmitters that are responsible for depressive and anxious symptoms; which is how they are supposed to reduce anguish and nervousness, and also to encourage better sleep. Stress causes the involuntary activation of the nervous system, which manifests itself through various symptoms that are treated with drugs. * For example, it has been estimated that 40% of referrals to cardiologists for palpitations, either irregular or rapid heartbeats, are a result of stress alone. * Similarly, referrals to neurologists for headaches and to gastroenterologists for bowel upsets are also often mere symptoms of stress. Although treating stress with drugs is not the best solution, these symptoms can be easily treated. Psycho drugs are generally efficient against feelings of restlessness arising from intense stress. They are, however, less efficient when it comes to other, more serious symptoms. According to medical studies, anxiolytics work best against anxiety, whereas anti-depressants are effective in 60 to 70% of cases of depression. - Benzodiazepines such as Largactil and Nozinan, on the other hand, are used in more serious cases. * Although they do not cure stress as such, the medicines in question help the patient cope with stressful situations better as they act on mental unrest and its accompanying symptoms. * Nevertheless, treating stress with drugs needs to, in a certain number of cases, be accompanied by psychological support. Insomnia is the most common and most probably the worst symptom of stress; paradoxically, adequate sleep is the best stress relief. In the past, barbaturic acid was prescribed as treatment against insomnia; but it is now less frequently used due to the side effects that it may induce. > Drugs with high content in barbaturic acid are recognized by their name ending with '-al', as for instance Phenobarbital. > Soporifics, which are very active, induce peaceful sleep and avoid wakening during the night. These are now favoured by physicians as treatment against insomnia and stress in general. A good night's sleep naturally relaxes and rejuvenates the body and the mind, and reinforces the metabolism so that it can fight stress better. Anxiolytics, on the contrary, do not induce sleep but rather calm down the insomniac's anxiety, especially those insomniacs who do not even want to lie down because they fear that they would not to be able to fall asleep. As for anti-depressants, they do not merely act upon insomnia but on the related tiredness of the depressed as well. Anti-depressants are also thought to be less addictive and to imply less side-effect than anxiolytics.
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