There are some people who have an effect on anxiety from antidepressants, but many also do not. I don't even have a calming effect from those who more or less make you drop to the floor. Many doctors demand you try several antidepressants which averages maybe 2 years of med trials before they consider true medication for anxiety. I sometimes feel they are trying too much offlabel just to be able not to prescribe benzos. I had TCA, SSRIs, SNRI, antipsychotics, antihistamines and mood stabilizers all before I was allowed xanax. It was quite rough.