- What is Buspirone?
Buspirone is medication used to treat anxiety disorders or anxiety symptoms. Amazingly, the drug was developed to combat psychosis (1968-1975). The scientists who developed the drug soon realized it was more effective in combating anxiety than psychosis. This drug manages your anxiety by balancing dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. If these hormones are not balanced, you may get symptoms of depression such as apathy and feelings of hopelessness.
This drug works slowly in easing anxiety. It takes 2-4 weeks to reach its full effect. As a result, Buspirone may be unsuitable for patients who want quick results. Patients who want to recover quickly should consult a doctor for other treatment options for their condition. Other faster working drugs they could take are Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Ativan or Valium. Nonetheless, Buspirone has fewer side effects than the alternatives. People who show side effects while taking Buspirone likely took Benzodiazepines in the past.
- Why do people use it?
People use it to treat their addictions to nicotine, cocaine and alcohol. One of the reasons some people use these addictive substances is due to nervousness. Think about it; you may be nervous addressing crowds. After taking alcohol, you will suddenly have the courage to speak in public since it is a depressant. Unfortunately, you cannot keep taking it to fight anxiety since its effects wear off quickly. Thankfully, Buspirone is a non-addictive drug that treats anxiety symptoms on a long-term basis.
Another reason some people use Buspirone is its ability to treat sexual dysfunction. To be specific, it increases libido and restores ability to get an orgasm. Some people lose their libido after taking antidepressants called Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs raise serotonin levels in the body causing the person to be relaxed. Unfortunately, the relaxation blocks hormones which respond to sex from transmitting messages to the brain. Here is the thing, patients do not have to ditch SSRIs. They can add Buspirone to counter the sexual side effects of them.
Unfortunately, others abuse this drug. Some people take it in large quantities to experience a sense of relaxation and euphoria. Typically, they crush and snort it. Others mix it with alcohol to amplify the sedation. However, mixing the two causes vomiting, fatigue and an upset stomach. As for severe side effects, you could experience memory problems, slowed breathing and impaired muscle control.
- What are the benefits of Buspirone?
Earlier, we mentioned how it takes longer for the drug to combat anxiety. It turns out it is an advantage to the user. If its effects were immediate, more people would abuse this drug. Therefore, patients do not need to be worried about taking it daily. It is, however, a different matter if a person crushes it for snorting.
Although Benzodiazepines are effective in treating anxiety, they cause memory issues and hinder cognitive performance. Also, they tend to have heavy sedative effects. That means you cannot even drive since you would be half-asleep. Conversely, Buspirone has minimal sedative effects. As a result, you can still return to your activities after using them.
- What are the side effects?
People who take this drug may experience lightheadedness, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, numbness, confusion and increased sweating. These side effects should disappear within a week. If they last for weeks, it would be best to visit the doctor.
Sometimes, patients may experience severe side effects such as blurred vision, rashes, hives, rapid heartbeats, uncontrollable shaking of a body part and hallucinations. Again, they should immediately seek medical help.
In some instances, people develop side effects because of mixing Buspirone with other medications. For instance, if you take them with MAO inhibitors, you could die. In that case, you should not take them for two weeks before and after Buspirone treatment. Therefore, you should inform your doctor of any medications you are taking before taking Buspirone.
- Any other facts people should know before using it?
While taking this drug, you may notice your anxiety levels decreasing significantly. As a result, you may stop taking them cold turkey. If you do that, you will get withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, headache, sweating, muscle cramps, and fatigue. Therefore, leave it to the doctor to guide you on how to gradually stop taking them.
At some point, you may miss a dose. To catch up, some people take a double dosage. However, you should instead skip the missed one and continue taking your dose at the regular time.
While taking Buspirone, you shouldn’t consume too much grapefruit or grapefruit juice. You should stick to a limit of 1 serving 2-3 times per week. That is because grapefruit increases Buspirone levels, which then increases your chances of getting side effects.
This drug is unsuitable for some people with certain health conditions. For instance, you shouldn’t take it if you have kidney damage. Since it cannot filter parts of the drug out of the body, the drug will accumulate in the body to dangerous levels. Additionally, you cannot take it if you have liver damage. That is because the liver cannot process the drug, which means it will increase in your body.
Also, there is a certain demographic that shouldn’t take Buspirone. Seniors shouldn’t take it because their kidneys tend to process the drug slowly. That means the drug will stay in the body for a long time and cause side effects. Children, pregnant women, and women who are breastfeeding shouldn’t take the drug. That is because research has not been done on its effects on them. However, if they feel compelled, they must take the drug, they should talk to a doctor first. The doctor will be able to suggest alternative treatments.
Ironically, this anti-anxiety medication may cause extreme anxiety leading to suicidal thoughts. That is because it alters your brain chemistry to boost your mood. Sometimes things can go wrong, and the drug may cause undesirable thoughts such as depression. If you experience suicidal thoughts, it would be best to visit your healthcare provider.