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Anxiolytic facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Anxiolytics are drugs that are used for the treatment of anxiety, and anxiety-related disorders. The common drugs can be classified:

  • Benzodiazepines
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, often abbreviated SSRIs
  • Azapirones
  • Barbiturates
  • Hydroxyzines
  • Pregabalin

In addition to these drug classes, there are also certain plants that have such properties. Many of the drugs listed above have side-effects. For this reason, they are only available on prescription. Certain forms of therapy have also been used to treat anxiety disorders.

Mechanism

Anxiolytics are said to act on key biochemical messengers in the brain and eventually decrease the abnormal excitability. The biochemical messengers or binding sites are unevenly distributed in the brain, and also said to be associated with a GABA receptor and a chloride channel.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ansiolítico para niños

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