[JJORANGE]

My doc just started me on some anxiety medication, Effexor. I'm just wondering what exactly they do. I meant to ask him before I left but I was so nervous about the appointment I forgot. I Googled it and all it says is that they treat depression/ anxiety. And a bunch of jargon about chemically what it does. But I want to know how it will affect my anxiety. Like will it stop my rambling brain and over exaggerated thoughts?

It will help.

Effexor is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Thus it will increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain pathways. This will "calm" your brain, so the rambling and exaggerated thoughts should decrease. FYI, SNRI's take about 6 weeks to reach therapeutic levels.

I'm sorry if my answer is too clinical.

[JWRT]

You have to try and see if it works and like Kindness said you have to give it a shot for a couple months to give it a fair shot. It's very safer in my opinion to try antidepressants before going to benzos for anxiety if you chose to. There are many anti depressants to try for it if needed. If nothing is working it sucks I know.

It is an anti depressant, an SSNRI, but they have found that the antidepressants SSRI's and SSNRI's work for some for anxiety. Personally I don't think they are very effective for me for anxiety but the benzodiazapines (like xanax) that for sure work are not so safe to take because of addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal issues. I am taking the risk because I am taking klonopin and it does work. I am very aware of the risks though and now am not feeling the need to take it.