Do you have trouble relaxing? Are you always waiting for the other shoe to drop? If so, you might have anxiety. Many people think of anxiety as constant worry, but that is only part of it. Anxiety encompasses a host of symptoms. Fortunately, there are many approaches to treating it. Below we will cover psychiatric medications for women with anxiety, therapy, and lifestyle changes. First, we’ll start with a brief description of anxiety.
Symptoms of Anxiety in Women
Everyone has anxiety. It is necessary for our survival. Anxiety, or fear about what could happen protects us from doing careless things. It is what preserved us as a species. If our ancestors didn’t have some level of anxiety, they would have eaten every berry (poisonous or not) and never hid from the tigers and other predators. Anxiety is what makes you put on a seatbelt, whether you think about it or not.
Symptoms of anxiety can be physical, cognitive, and emotional. Common physical symptoms include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, or neck/shoulder/jaw tightness. Cognitive symptoms include poor attention span, or alternatively, hyperfocusing on a topic, indecisiveness, and racing thoughts. Emotional symptoms include worry, unease, and irritability.
Society and Anxiety in Women
Women have an extra load of anxiety. In Towson, Maryland and throughout the United States, women are under more pressure than their male counterparts. Even though it is 2025, we continue to earn less than men. This puts us at financial risks, especially in this economy. Furthermore, women continue to do more of the mental and emotional labor than men. So essentially, we are working more for less money. I could “drop the mic there” but there is more.
Women are at greater risk than men from both relatives and friends and strangers. Approximately 30% of women are assaulted in their lifetime by an intimate partner compared to 10% of men. 81% of women reports some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
These statistics could be their own mic drop. So let’s think about how that translates into the rest of our lives. Women’s experiences in the world become radically different in the context of not literally being safe in so many spaces. This means working late at night comes with extra angst, as does studying late at a library or going to a party. The world is a minefield.
Hormones and Anxiety
The hormonal changes women experience can also trigger anxiety. Women who are menstruating experience increased anxiety as their estrogen and progesterone drop the last 7-10 days of their cycle. Women in perimenopause may have increasing anxiety as their hormones are rapidly shifting.
Psychiatric Medications For Women With Anxiety
There are several psychiatric medications for women with anxiety. The general classes include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Selective Norepinephrine Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), and Buspar. Additionally blood pressure medications like propranolol can also be used for anxiety.
SSRIs
SSRis include Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil, and Luvox. They are probably the most commonly used group of medications for anxiety in women. They are highly effective, especially when combined with therapy and lifestyle choices.
SSRIs do carry side effects, though. Common side effects include decreased libido, difficulty with orgasm, weight gain (usually around 5 lbs), sedation or insomnia. Please keep in mind all medications potentially carry side effects and there is no guarantee you will have theses side effects. Living with anxiety can also cause a lot of issues.
SNRIs
SNRIs include Effexor, Cymbalta, and Pristiq. They tend to be a little more “activating’ than SSRis meaning you are more likely to feel energized than sedated. They tend to have less of the sexual side effects or weight gain but can still cause that. The downside of these medications is that they can be hard to come off of.
Buspar
Buspar is its own medication, not a class. It does not fit neatly into a medication class but does work on serotonin but also on dopamine. It works quickly but then needs to be take two to three times a day. It is not addictive. The main side effect is dizziness.
Propranolol
This is a Beta Blocker and is orit=gianlly prescribed for high blood pressure and heart rate. Women who experience their anxiety as shortness of breath and chest tightness tend to do well on this medication.
Therapy for Women With Anxiety
Therapy can be incredibly helpful for women with anxiety, It works best combined with psychiatric medication. Modalities like Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Nature Based Therapy work well and often yield results quicker than traditional talk therapy.
Finding a therapist can be challenging. You can start by searching databases like Psychology Today. Many people find a therapist by asking friends and family for recommendations. Your primary care provider or gynecologist may also have referrals.
Lifestyle Changes for Women With Anxiety
Therapy and medication are great. However, they can’t treat anxiety fully. Proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, limiting alcohol, and saying no all help. Drinks with high caffeine like coffee, tea and soda may exacerbate anxiety.
First, make sure you are eating enough! Skipping meals can result in low blood sugar. This can make you feel edgy. Furthermore, make sure you are eating low sugar, less processed foods. You make your own neurotransmitters so a healthy varied diet is essential to have the right building blocks as well as a healthy microbiome.
Sleep is tricky as sometimes anxiety fuels insomnia and sometimes not sleeping fuels anxiety. Regardless, aim for a set bedtime and 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Limit screen time two hours before bedtime.
Regular exercise is helpful in controlling anxiety, This can be as simple as a ten minute walk per day. Don’t get overwhelmed with any complicated routine. The idea is to reduce your stress load, not add to it. Do things you look forward to. The idea is to focus on movement, not burning calories.
Lastly, Many women with anxiety are over scheduled. We can’t medicate that away. You need to prioritize and say no. There is a wonderful saying: “If the ship will sink with out you; get off the ship.”
Anxiety can be overwhelming and painful. Women are particularly susceptible to struggling with anxiety. Psychiatric medications can help women with anxiety as can therapy and lifestyle changes.
About the Author: Sharon P. Fisher, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in women’s mental health.
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