Medications that affect people psychologically are called psychoactive drugs. They are often helpful in treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other psychological complications that may accompany HIV infection. Psychoactive drugs don't affect the underlying causes of these disorders, but they can provide symptomatic relief to allow people to live more normal lives. Anxiety Anxiety can be defined as persistent nervousness, tension, or panic caused by stress or other psychological causes.
Benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
They depress the central nervous system, causing relaxation and sedation. A class of drugs called beta-blockers reduce the shaking or palpitations that may occur when people panic in highly stressful situations, such as job interviews or speaking in public. Other drugs used to treat anxiety include buspirone , some antidepressants, and in special cases, barbiturates. Depression is thought to be caused by a reduction in the level of certain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, in the brain. It takes some time before antidepressants are effective.