Gabapentin for Anxiety Benefits, Dosage, and Side Effects
Gabapentin is a prescription medication that was originally used to treat seizures and nerve pain. Eventually, doctors found that gabapentin may offer benefits for certain mental health conditions, like anxiety. Gabapentin is not FDA-approved for treating anxiety; however, many healthcare providers prescribe it off-label due to its lack of effectiveness compared to first-line medications. How Gabapentin Helps with Anxiety Anxiety disorders are commonly characterized by excessive worry, tension, and physical discomfort. While SSRIs (antidepressants) and benzodiazepines can be effective for anxiety, they don't work for everyone. Gabapentin is not act on serotonin or dopamine. Instead, gabapentin targets calcium channels in the brain. When the calcium channels are blocked, it dulls the transmission of exciting neurons, alleviating the excess nerve signals and allowing the nervous system to relax. Said differently, gabapentin slows the brain signals that trigger stress and worry...