BuSpar is the brand name for buspirone (that's boo SPYE rone), a drug that falls into an anxiolytic class of medications known as azapirones, meaning that it works to relieve anxiety. It is manufactured in strengths of 5, 10, 15 and 30 mg and is taken orally.
Despite being an anxiolytic medication, BuSpar is not the same kind of anxiolytic medication as more familiar anti-anxiety drugs such as Xanax and Valium, which are in a class called benzodiazepines. Neither is BuSpar a barbiturate or a simple sedative. Nonetheless, it is approved for the treatment of people diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD.
Unlike benzodiazepines, which begin to work on lowering anxiety within an hour but are largely regarded as as-needed medications, BuSpar can take as few as one week and as many as 4 weeks to start working for many patients.
Also unlike its benzodiazepine cousins, BuSpar has an extremely low potential for abuse, dependence, or addiction. This does not mean that someone taking BuSpar for an extended time should decide on his or her own to cease taking the medication—such a decision should always be made in concert with one's treating physician.
The Benefits of BuSpar
We have already touched on a couple of the benefits of BuSpar, but let's go over all of them again.
For starters, BuSpar is an anti-anxiety medication that does not present the real potential for abuse or dependence, like benzodiazepines. This means patients can take the medication with some confidence and over extended periods of time knowing that they have an extremely low likelihood of developing an addiction.
As a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, BuSpar is effective at treating symptoms including:
- Excessive worry
- Restlessness or edginess
- Sleep problems
- Concentration problems
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue
The drug was first approved for the US market in 1986. This means that it has developed a long safety profile, and that doctors and pharmacists understand better how the drug works and who it stands to benefit the most.
The toxicity profile of this drug is also rather low, and the most common side effects associated with it are mild: among them, drowsiness, restlessness, and possibly some experience with an upset stomach. Allergies to the drug are possible but extraordinarily uncommon.
Sources: National Alliance on Mental Health, Bipolar Beat
