Will anti-anxiety meds make me emotionally numb?

Dear Reader,  

If anxiety has been running circles around your mind recently, you’re not alone. Medication doesn’t “fabricate” calm. Instead, it helps your body regulate how you react to something you consider anxiety-inducing. Although some people experience emotional numbness from medication, these side effects aren’t definite. Working with a health care provider can help you find the treatment that feels best for your body.  

How are anxiety and phobias usually treated with medication?  

Anxiety disorders are often linked to an imbalance of natural chemicals in the brain, like serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals regulate mood and control the body’s automatic stress response. Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can stabilize the levels of these chemicals, which turns down the body’s alarm system.   

SSRIs and SNRIs often need a few weeks for the effects to kick in. In the meantime, a health care provider might prescribe an anti-anxiety medication, like a benzodiazepine, to make things easier. These medications can provide quick relief from anxiety symptoms. They can also be helpful if you’re only experiencing a small amount of improvement with an SSRI or SNRI alone.  

Since phobias are a type of anxiety, they’re often treated with the same medications as generalized anxiety disorder. However, some medications are prescribed more often for social phobia, commonly known as social anxiety disorder. For example, beta blockers are used to decrease the physical effects of anxiety (like sweating and heart palpitations) from stressful social situations.  

Can medication for anxiety cause emotional numbness?  

People respond to medications in different ways. Some patients find that SSRIs cause a decrease in both positive and negative emotions. In other words, the lows might not feel as low, but the highs don’t feel as high either.  

People also experience emotional numbness differently. Some symptoms you might notice are:  

• An inability to laugh or cry during appropriate situations 
• Lack of motivation or energy 
• Decreased enjoyment from pleasurable experiences 
• Decreased empathy 
• A feeling of being disconnected from the world around you  

List adapted from VeryWell Mind 

Some people respond positively to lower emotional sensitivity, while others find it unpleasant. The symptoms you experience and how you’ll feel about them are individual to each person.   

What can you do about numbness from anxiety medication?  

Although emotional numbness can be a common side effect of SSRIs, it isn’t inevitable. Additionally, some people find that lifestyle changes help. For example, exercising releases serotonin and increases mood. You also might consider decreasing or avoiding alcohol, as it impacts serotonin levels and can lower mood. 

If you’re experiencing numbness or don’t quite feel like yourself, contact your prescribing provider. Stopping your medication without your provider’s supervision may increase side effects or cause a physical withdrawal response. They can work with you to find a treatment plan that makes you feel better without the downsides. Finding the right medication can take some trial and error. Your health care provider might switch you to another SSRI, SNRI, or anti-anxiety medication. 

What are some other potential side effects of medication for anxiety?  

Besides emotional numbness, some people who take medications for anxiety might experience: 

• Nausea 
• Insomnia 
• Fatigue 
• Headaches 
• Low sex drive 
• Difficulty with orgasm 

Before the benefits of the medication fully kick in, you might experience a slight increase in anxiety. In particular, these may be physical symptoms like jitteriness or heart palpitations.  

What role does therapy play in anxiety treatment?  

Anxiety is treated most effectively with a combination of therapy and medication. Therefore, medication may make it easier for you to address your problems from the inside out. 

Research suggests that one of the most effective treatments for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help you identify the thoughts that are causing your anxiety. With your provider, you work to restructure those thoughts to be less anxiety-causing. CBT can also help you develop skills to reframe or create new reactions to anxiety triggers. Another treatment method is applied relaxation therapy, which includes strategies to reduce the automatic, bodily response to anxiety. 

You may have to go through some trial and error, but by working with a health care provider and exploring your options, you may be able to find a treatment that helps you feel your best.