Thread: How long are you supposed to take anti anxiety medication and can it stop your abnormal anxiety for good?

I'd like to know generally how anti anxiety medications work, how long one is supposed to take them, and how a person or a doctor knows when is the right time to stop the medication.
If the anxiety is due to a chemical imbalance, does that mean the meds must be taken forever?

Are they selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors? They build up to a maximum therapeutic level, and slowly become less and less effective as time goes on. It depends on the drug, but they are not a permanent solution. They help break the cycle of anxiety, but it is necessary to change the circumstances that provoked the anxiety to begin with. Otherwise it is likely to happen again. The doctor should have told you how long to continue with the course of treatment, or at least have advised you of the typical duration.