Are Anxiolytics (Anxiety Medications) Addictive?

Anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting an estimated 40 million adults in the United States. However, rates increased significantly during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, with some surveys suggesting the figure may now be higher.

Medical treatment for an anxiety disorder — such as with an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication — is one of the most common treatments for anxiety, alongside mental health counseling.

Anxiety medications, like benzodiazepines, can be beneficial and effective when taken as prescribed for short-term use. But they can also become addictive if repeatedly misused.

What Are Anxiolytics?

Anxiolytics are a class of drugs that can help to prevent or reduce anxiety due to their effects on the central nervous system (which includes the brain).

Common examples include:

• benzodiazepines
• barbiturates (rarely prescribed due to overdose risk)
• sleeping pills (i.e., sedative-hypnotics)
• beta-blockers*

*Beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol) address the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heart rate and trembling, rather than the psychological experience, and are sometimes prescribed for situational anxiety.

How Do Anxiolytics Work To Treat Anxiety?

Anxiolytics belong to a class of substances known as central nervous system depressants, or sedatives, that work by targeting certain brain chemicals.

Benzodiazepines, for instance, increase the levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, which can block other activity in the brain and reduce abnormal excitability.

After taking an anxiolytic, you may feel short-term side effects such as drowsiness, sleepiness, dizziness, reduced heart rate, and decreased blood pressure.

Which Anxiety Medications Are Addictive?

There are several different types of drugs prescribed for anxiety disorders, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can be habit-forming.

Benzodiazepines are the most common example. In the United States, there are millions of benzodiazepine prescriptions written each year.

The most common benzodiazepines include:

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• lorazepam (Ativan)
• clonazepam (Klonopin)
• diazepam (Valium)
• chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
• temazepam (Restoril)

Are Anxiety Medications Dangerous?

Anxiety medications like Xanax are not inherently dangerous. Still, any drug, including prescription medications, can carry certain risks with use, especially if they’re taken chronically.

Long-term use of benzodiazepines, for instance, can lead to drug tolerance, physical dependence, and other long-term side effects, like difficulty sleeping and sexual dysfunction.

Addiction, on the other hand, generally develops as a result of chronic substance use disorder, which occurs when you take a drug in ways other than as prescribed or directed.

Benzodiazepine-involved overdose deaths have risen significantly in recent years, driven largely by the combination of prescribed or diverted benzos with illicitly manufactured fentanyl. People who use benzodiazepines, whether prescribed or not, should be aware of this risk. Naloxone can reverse opioid overdose but does not reverse benzodiazepine effects.

What Are The Signs Of Addiction To Anxiety Medications?

Benzodiazepine addiction can be identified by a doctor, a friend, or a loved one by several physical symptoms, mental health symptoms, and behavioral warning signs.

Signs and symptoms of benzodiazepine addiction can include:

• taking doses more frequently or in higher doses than prescribed
• crushing and snorting pills
• dissolving and injecting pills
• mixing benzos with other drugs (e.g. opioids, alcohol) for stronger effects
• high tolerance
• experiencing withdrawal symptoms with reduced or stopped use
• trying to hide the extent of one’s drug use
• overdosing on benzodiazepines

Is There A Non-Addictive Alternative To Anxiolytics?

Yes and no. That is, not all drugs prescribed by clinicians for anxiety or panic attacks have a high addiction potential.

Current clinical guidelines from organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, recommend SSRIs and SNRIs as first-line pharmacological treatment for most anxiety disorders. Benzodiazepines are generally reserved for short-term relief or situations where other treatments haven’t worked.

Both have a much lower potential for misuse and addiction, compared to anxiolytics like benzodiazepines (“benzos”) and ‘z’ drugs like Ambien, the brand name for zolpidem.

However, because these drugs work differently in the brain, one may be more helpful than another for treating or otherwise reducing a person’s anxiety.

Your treatment plan for an anxiety disorder, or related mental health condition, can be best discussed with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

What Is The Treatment For Anxiolytic (Anxiety Medication) Addiction?

An addiction to anxiety medications can best be treated through a dual diagnosis treatment program.

That’s a form of addiction treatment offered by some U.S. rehab centers for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

A dual diagnosis treatment program may offer:

• medical detoxification (detox) for withdrawal
• individual and group counseling
• mental health counseling
• behavioral therapy
• medication management
• psychiatric services
• support groups
• relapse prevention planning
• aftercare support

Treatment for addiction to an anti-anxiety medication can be sought through a treatment center or an individual treatment provider, such as a therapist.

Find Help For Anxiolytic Addiction Today

Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff