Anxiolytics, or anti-anxiety drugs, are a category of drugs used to prevent anxiety and treat anxiety related to several anxiety disorders. These drugs tend to work rather quickly and can be habit-forming. Because of this, they’re usually only prescribed for short-term use. They aren’t recommended for people with a history of substance misuse or addiction.

How they work
Anxiolytics work by targeting key chemical messengers in the brain. This is thought to help decrease abnormal excitability. Some of the more frequently prescribed anxiolytics are benzodiazepines. These include:

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
• clonazepam (Klonopin)
• diazepam (Valium)
• lorazepam (Ativan)