Tricyclic antidepressants
The so-called tricyclic antidepressants are a group of active substances which are used primarily against depression, but in some cases are also used as a drug against anxiety. They ensure that messenger substances such as serotonin, nor-adrenaline and acetylcholine remain in the blood to a greater extent. These substances are supposed to increase the patient’s motivation, improve mood and lead to a reduction in anxiety.
Tricyclic antidepressants are rarely used as an anxiety medication and are also used less and less frequently in patients with depression, as they have a very general and rather unspecific effect, which is reflected in their broad range of side effects. The active substance Doxepin is often contained in drugs against anxiety. It also has a mood-lifting effect and helps not only against anxiety but also against depression.
Doxepin is actually an active substance from the group of tricyclic antidepressants, i.e. drugs which are primarily used to treat depression. Nevertheless, the active substance Doxepin can also be contained in medicines against anxiety, although it is a somewhat older active substance which is no longer prescribed so frequently. Doxepin can also be taken in cases of alcohol, drug or medication addiction, chronic pain, bipolar disorders or sleep disorders.
In general, drugs during pregnancy should only be taken under very strict guidelines and only in close consultation with the doctor to be treated, as most drugs are not tested to see if and how much they could harm the unborn child. For this reason, antianxiety medications are reluctant to be administered during pregnancy. However, some patients may need to take antianxiety medication during pregnancy as otherwise the patient may not be able to go through the pregnancy.
Anti-anxiety drugs that should not be taken during pregnancy include benzodiazepines. As these would harm the unborn child, they must not be taken during pregnancy under any circumstances. The situation is different with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. These can be given as medication against anxiety during pregnancy, after close consultation with the treating psychiatrist, without the patient endangering the unborn child or causing severe malformations. If possible, tricyclic antidepressants should not be used during pregnancy as these antianxiety drugs have not yet been sufficiently studied and it is therefore unclear whether they could harm the unborn child.
