The first approach to treatment of an anxiety disorder usually involves the prescription of a psychopharmaceutical drug by a physician or psychiatrist. Typically an anxiolytic or sedative is recommended (see benzodiazepines). For more stubborn or chronic cases, it is common that an " antidepressant" (see Tricyclics and SSRIs) is used to target the biological production and/or absorption of the neurochemical serotonin. While the psychopharmaceutical armament is effective, there is no single drug that offers total relief or a cure. It should be noted that efficacy and side effects (including anorgasmia or sexual dysfunction and dependence) vary widely amongst individuals.
Visitors should be aware that there is an ongoing debate as to whether anxiety disorders are primarily the result of biological predisposition (and thus amenable to drug treatment) or psychological in nature (and necessitating cognitive treatments). The general wisdom holds that both physical and psychological causation are coterminous and that medicine and therapy are inevitable partners in any recovery. Still, one will find strong advocates for both poles, with some stating that anxiety disorders are the result of flawed biology while others will argue that the use of medication is escapist and even dangerous.
Visitors are encouraged to thoroughly research their therapeutic and medical options and to choose the recovery program that seems most appropriate to their situation and beliefs. It is suggested that visitors use this area to inform themselves of their medicinal choices in order to work with their chosen professional from a position of knowledge. Visitors should also realize that the development and promotion of medications treating anxiety disorders is big business, with billions of dollars at stake. The research is active and there are a number of new medications on the horizon, a fact that might be promising or distressing depending upon your stance (watch the Anxiety Advocate for drug updates).
The following links are provided with thanks to both the OCD site composed by Mark
and Kelley Lujak and the web's best general psychology site with
a consumer bias, Internet
Mental Health, for compiling most of this public domain
material. For more material, 
recommends:
Medline
Psychopharmacology Tips
US Pharmacopeia Education leaflets Internet Drug Index Health Guide
Pharmacy Drug
Information
HealthGate Medline
ThriveOnline database. 
amitriptyline
(Elavil, Endep, Enden, Tryptizol) amoxapine
(Asendin) buproprione
(Wellbutrin) carbamazepine
(Epitol, Tegretol) [more] clomipramine
(Anafranil) [more] [more] desipramine
(Norpramine, Pertofrane) doxepin
(Adapin, Sinequan) [more] imipramine
(Tofranil, Janimine) [more] [more] nortriptyline
(Pamelor, Ventyl, Aventyl) [more] [more] trimipramine
(Surmontil)
fluoxetine
(Prozac) [more] [more] fluvoxamine
(Luvox) [more] [more] nefazodone
(Serzone) [more] [more] paroxetine
(Paxil) [more] sertraline
(Zoloft) [more] [more] venlafaxine
(Effexor) [more] [more] [more]
alprazolam
(Xanax) [more] [more] chlordiazepoxide
(Librium) [more] clonazepam
(Klonopin) [more] [more] diazepam
(Valium, Valrelease, Zetran) [more] [more] flurazepam
(Dalmane) lorazepam
(Ativan, Alzapam) [more] oxazepam
(Serax) triazolam
(Halcion)
Used to treat depression and panic. In most cases, MAOI's should not be the first treatment choice. Rather, these drugs are prescribed for people whose symptoms have failed to respond to other common antidepression drugs. Although just as effective as heterocyclic drugs, they poses a potential problem because of the possible toxic food-drug interactions. If you are taking one of these, follow the dietary guidelines strictly.
Do NOT eat food or drink beverages with tyramine while taking MAOI's. Among the foods that should be avoided are: Lox, Pickled Herring, Liver, Dry Sausage, Broad (fava) beans, Raisins, Figs, Avocados, Cheese (cottage and cream cheese are allowed), Yogurt, Beer, Wine, Hard Liquor, Sherry, Caffiene (coffee, tea, cocoa, or chocolate), Yeast Products, Pickles, Sauerkraut, Soy Sauce, Sour Cream, Snails or Licorice. [more]
moclobemide
(Aurorix, Manerix) phenelzine
(Nardil) tranylcypromine
(Parnate)
buspirone
(BuSpar) [more] [more] gabapentin
(Neurontin) propranolol
(Inderal) [more] temazepam
(Restoril) trazodone
