Buspar is a type of medication known as an anti-anxiety drug. It is prescribed for the treatment of people who have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, also called GAD. People with GAD tend to worry all the time about family, health or work, even when there are no signs of trouble. Sometimes they aren't worried about anything special, but they still feel tense and worried all day long. There might also be aches and pains for no apparent reason and feelings of lethargicness. Everyone gets worried sometimes, but someone with GAD stays worried, fears the worst will happen and cannot relax.
Most often, GAD starts when a person is still a child or a teenager, but it can start in adulthood too. More women than men have this illness. People with GAD often visit their doctors many times before they find out what their real illness is. In any given year, 4 million Americans have GAD.
GAD is best treated with a combination of therapy and medication. Therapy can help a person learn to deal with their worries. Medication can help relieve anxiety symptoms so that the anxiety sufferer can better focus on therapy and daily living. Buspar is one type of medication that has been proven effective in treating GAD. In fact, it was designed specifically for anxiety treatment.
Buspar works gradually, over a 2 to 4 week period, to provide effective relief from symptoms such as:
- excessive worry and tension
- headaches
- stomach upset