Over the counter anxiety medicine for flying

How to Get Over Fear of Flying With Medication and Mindfulness

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There are lots of things that happen during flights that can be anxiety producing.
There are things you can do to make the trip a little bit smoother if you still want to try flying.

We talked to people who work on planes to get tips on making flights easier.

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When it comes to phobias, aviophobia, or "fear of flying" counts among the most widely-held. The tight cabin quarters, unpredictable turbulence, and fluctuating temperatures can all contribute to an unpleasant environment, and if you're already prone to anxiety, these factors will only exacerbate the problem.

Luckily, plenty of options exist to help ease your flight-related fears and get you from Point A to Point B with your serenity intact. INSIDER asked nine medical professionals and flight specialists for their favorite flight medications and relaxation techniques, and here's what we learned.

Be sure to test any medications at home before taking them aboard your flight.

Don't take medication for the first time on a flight. Nico Paix / Flickr

Whether you choose to use an over-the-counter medication or a prescription pill to smooth out your flight anxiety, it's important to try the drug at home before relying on it while you're in the air. According to co-founder Dr. Polly Meyers of Break Free from Anxiety, "people with genetic anxiety (which is most of us) are generally very sensitive. [Because of] this genetic variation, we can overreact or have a bad response to medications."

Also, a University of Cincinnati report indicated that high altitude can affect the potency of certain medications, citing an increase in red blood cells and a reduction in plasma proteins as the culprit.

For these reasons, you'll want to establish a strong baseline with your anti-anxiety medication before trying them out in flight. Obtaining your OTC or prescription medication a couple of weeks before your flight and beginning your regimen in advance will acclimate your body to the drugs and make their in-flight effects less unpredictable.

Xanax and Ativan are fast-acting prescription options for combating anxiety.

Xanax might be prescribed for flight anxiety.

Wikimedia/Editor182

If you're in the market for a prescription anti-anxiety medication to take on your travels, a version that works quickly and can sustain your level mood for the duration of a cross-country or international trip will likely be your best bet. Los Angeles-based psychiatrist and travel blogger Dr. Brian Cassmassi of The Ambitious Trekker particularly recommends two popular prescription meds for this purpose: Xanax and Ativan.

"Physicians can prescribe medications as needed for flight anxiety. The most common class includes benzodiazepines like Xanax and Ativan, which are relatively fast-acting to relieve anxiety and stay in the body for several hours, which is the duration for most cross-country flights. Some people may feel a bit groggy after the flight with these medications. They can become addictive with frequent use, so caution is advised, and they should not be mixed with alcohol, as the effects are additive and can lead to over-sedation or decreased breathing," Cassmassi told INSIDER.

Melatonin can help you sleep on the flight and can also reduce jet lag when you arrive at your destination.

Melatonin is a sleep aid. Shutterstock

Overnight flights can prove particularly stressful for the anxiety-prone, due to the potential for sleep disruption. In these circumstances, the use of melatonin, a natural supplement that can be purchased over-the-counter, may prove useful.

"I recommend melatonin as a natural supplement to my patients with flight-related anxiety. Melatonin induces sleep and adjusts your circadian clock to help you function better when you reach your destination. I suggest taking melatonin a few days before your trip so that you're ready to sleep thirty minutes to an hour earlier than normal. It will decrease jet lag if taken close to your target bedtime at your destination, and there are no major side effects to worry about. Plus, your flight will be over before you know it!" advised Dr. Khalid Saeed of Tampa Bay Concierge Doctor.

Early studies indicate that magnesium supplements may ease anxiety.

Magnesium might help.

puhhha/Shutterstock

While comprehensive research still needs to happen to fully establish magnesium supplements as a beneficial palliative for anxiety, early research supports the usefulness of this over-the-counter mineral.

Dr. Chirag Shah of PollMed cited a 2017 article by Nutrients to back his support for magnesium's anti-anxiety properties, claiming that "magnesium supplementation has shown some early promise as a potential way to reduce anxiety in susceptible people. While more thorough research needs to be done, one review of multiple studies suggest that magnesium can have a beneficial effect on flight-related anxiety symptoms. "

If you'd rather avoid in-flight medication, visualization practices can center your thoughts and keep you relaxed and positive.

Go through the whole travel experience in your head. vovashevchuk/ iStock

Of course, not everyone who deals with flight-related anxiety feels comfortable using medications or supplements to ease their discomfort. In many cases, meditative visualization can prove highly effective in calming your psyche and keeping your in-flight thoughts from veering toward the negative side.

Travis McNulty, a licensed mental health counselor practicing in St. Petersburg, Florida, recommends the following visualization regimen for anxious flyers:

"The night before your flight, visualize how the day will go before your flight. Be as detailed as possible in your imagining; picture how you'll get there, think of what you'll see on the way to the airport, imagine what you'll hear at your terminal, will you get a bite to eat before? It's important to get as detailed as possible. During this imagination breathing through your nose for a 3-count and exhaling at a 5-count will put your nervous system at a state of relaxation.

It's important to add the breathing with the visualization because while you're not actually experiencing the exact experience the day of your journey, you're conditioning your brain to think that it's already done this. It's important to go from beginning to the end of the flight as well. I segment the breathing and imagery for my clients in three separate parts:

On your way to the airport and the experience of takeoff.
The flight itself including times of turbulence.
Landing and arriving at your final destination."

According to McNulty, guiding your imagination through these steps will allow you to perform some valuable brain trickery, resulting in a more serene travel experience.

"The more you repeat this series of guided visualizations which is essentially imagining the day of your flight in as much detail as possible, the brain will think it's already happened while you were in a relaxed state. I've seen clients go from a self-reported 10/10 anxious the night before, to a 2/10 the day of the flight. The more repetition you can imagine the three separate segments in as much detail as possible (some clients do this to the point of exhaustion), the more prepared your mind will be for the day of the flight. It will be a perceived walk in the park because you've visualized it so many times in a relaxed state that our mind won't focus on the alternatives," McNulty told INSIDER.

To keep your mind steady during your flight, stay away from stimulants.

Stimulants won't help your flight anxiety. YakobchukOlena/ iStock

A cup of coffee before a flight, especially if you're traveling in the early morning, often seems like a good way to stay energized and alert for your travels. But if anxiety is a concern, stimulants like caffeine can work against you, and your flight will likely proceed more smoothly if you avoid them altogether.

"[I believe that] the best mitigation practice against in-flight panic attacks is to avoid stimulants (i.e. coffee, Red Bull, etc.) prior to any flight. Stimulants can make a flyer jittery and cause their anxiety levels to increase while in-flight," advised Dr. Robert Quigley of MedAire.

Exercising before your flight improves your comfort level once you're on board.

Exercise before getting cooped up. vhpicstock/Shutterstock

Because plane cabins and seats aren't known for their spacious conditions, physical discomfort frequently occurs during flights, which adds to already-existing anxiety issues. However, a vigorous workout prior to takeoff can counteract the negative effects of cramped quarters, putting both your mind and body at ease.

"Exercise pre-flight! I go for a long easy swim or run the day before or the morning of the flight. It gets your blood flowing and keeps you from feeling cooped up on a long haul," recommended Dr. Byron Pitts of ParaDoc Worldwide.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

Flight Anxiety Medications to Overcome Fear of Flying

1. Symptoms of Flying Phobia (Aviophobia)

2. Why we suffer from a Fear of Flying in the first place

2.1. News/Media Coverage of Plane Crashes, Hijackings, Malfunctions, etc.

2.2. Other Phobias (acrophobia, claustrophobia, enocholophobia, etc.)

2.3. Previous Negative Experiences

3. Root Causes

4. Available Over The Counter Medications to Take for Fear of Flying

4.1. Ambien For Flying Anxiety

4.2. Dramamine For Flying Anxiety

4.3. Benzodiazepines For Flying Anxiety

5. The Case Against Anxiety Medications For Fear of Flying

6. Natural Flying Anxiety Medication Alternatives

6.1. Melatonin For Flying Anxiety

6.2. GABA For Flying Anxiety

6.3. Natural Supplements For Flying Anxiety

7. Final Thoughts on Flying Anxiety Medications

Imagine two people sat on a plane traveling together. One is having a panic attack, and the other turns to them and says: “Come on now…calm down. It will all be OK. Don’t you worry, it will all be alright”

The person having the panic attack says: “Stop telling me to calm down. I can’t calm down. Can’t you see I’m stressed? Leave me alone!”

Perhaps this sounds a little bit familiar? Perhaps you are the panicked individual suffering from a lifelong fear of flying? And perhaps you feel that other people don’t really understand?

The good news is that you are not alone! In fact, Boeing and other well respected organizations have carried out many surveys over the past 30 years with a focus on mental reactions to flying, and they estimate that one in every six people have some form of a fear of flying, referred to in the studies as flight anxiety ^[1].

Other studies show that approximately 40% of the general population experience some degree of aviophobia, an anxiety disorder associated with fear of flying ^[2]. And an estimated 2.5% to 6.5% of those fearful flyers qualify for a clinical diagnosis of the phobia, one in which a person avoids flying or does so with significant distress ^[3].

Like with most fears/phobias, the fear of flying is disproportionate to the danger posed (despite what recent Netflix specials like Downfall: The case against Boeing will have you believe). Commercial air travel, within the United States particularly, is extremely safe. A person who took a 500-mile flight every day for a year would have a fatality risk of 1 in 85,000, according to an analysis by Ian Savage, associate chair of the Economics Department at Northwestern University ^[4]. As a point of comparison: highway travel accounts for 94.4% of national transportation fatalities in the US.

But, of course, statistics are not enough to quell phobias and lifelong fears around flying for a lot of people. In fact, a common reaction to a fear of flying is just to avoid flying as much as possible. There are many high profile celebrities who go out of their way to arrange their personal and professional lives such that they can avoid flying.

But is there a better solution? Can a fear of flying be overcome and/or managed?

In this article we are going to look at several over-the-counter flight anxiety medications, as well as some natural alternatives to OTC flight medications and some popular mental techniques that have proven to help others overcome their fear of flying.

Symptoms of Flying Phobia (Aviophobia)

Aviophobia, the clinical term for “flying phobia” or the fear of flight, is a crippling form of anxiety that is classified by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a specific phobia, characterized by a marked aversion towards flying on airplanes or any type of aircraft in general ^[5].

While the cause of Aviophobia can be varied, people experiencing the phobia may develop any/multiple of the below-mentioned symptoms either before or during an air flight ^[6]:

Shaking or shivering
Increased heart rate or heart palpitations
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Nausea
Clouded thinking or confusion
Irritation

For some, even the idea of traveling or booking a ticket for flight travel may induce these symptoms. As there are various causes and triggering factors for developing this phobia, we will discuss the treatment options for Aviophobia below.

Why we suffer from a Fear of Flying in the first place

There are various factors that may contribute to the eventual development of aviophobia. Some of the most common, I would say, are news/media coverage of flying accidents & tragedies and other pre-existing phobias.

News/Media Coverage of Plane Crashes, Hijackings, Malfunctions, etc.

Rory Kennedy, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker, stated in an interview that she made the NetFlix documentary film “Downfall: The Case Against Boeing” due to her ‘primal fear of flying‘.

Kennedy closely tracked the unfolding news story of two back-to-back airplane crashes that took the lives of a total 346 passengers in 2018 ^[7].

On October 29, 2018, the sky was clear at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as Lion Air Flight 610 took off and then, 13 minutes later, fell from the sky. Pilot error was the suspected cause — until five months later when another brand-new Boeing 737 MAX, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, met the same fate.

It’s clear to see from Kennedy’s honing in on these crashes (even if her radar for a good story did lead to a surprising exposé around Boeing airlines) that there is an alarming effect that follows media coverage of plane crashes, malfunctions, hijackings, etc.

This is a strange, yet perfectly natural, human reaction to events that are by all metrics, quite rare! It can be argued that increased fear of flying following increased media coverage of an aerial accident is a case of availability bias (also called the availability heuristic).

The availability bias says that our brains tend to make decisions based on two kinds of information:

A recent memory
A vivid memory

Our brain thinks things that have happened recently or stand out in our minds are more likely to happen again. This is because things that have just happened are top of mind, so it comes to mind quickly and easily. When an event is easier to remember, it becomes easier to imagine it happening again ^[8].

So, naturally, if somebody isn’t that knowledgeable about the actual risk involved or has little to no experience with flying, and they have recently seen media coverage of crashes or accidents, then it may form preconceived notions about airplanes in their mind.

Other Phobias (acrophobia, claustrophobia, enocholophobia, etc.)

Some people have different pre-existing phobias that may intertwine with aviophobia (a fear of flying). For example, claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), acrophobia (fear of heights), or the fear of terrorism and hijacking ^[6].

Previous Negative Experiences

Sometimes, a fear of flying can simply be the result of a bad experience in the past, which may have solidified one’s prior fear or may have caused it in the first place. Examples include a previous flight with severe air turbulence, plane controls going haywire, or a forced landing that was jarring (physically and emotionally).

Root Causes

While any one of the listed points could be valid reasons for a fear of flying, every person is different so it’s worth attempting to get to the root of your phobia.

Yuko Nippoda, a psychotherapist and spokesperson for the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), explained in an interview how a fear of flying often stems from a lack of control ^[9].

“If you are on a train and you need to get off, you can do so at the next stop. If you’re in a car, you can get out almost anywhere. But once you get on an aeroplane, you cannot leave. This sense of losing all authority over your actions can be very frightening.”

Nippoda added that people are used to feeling their feet on solid ground. Therefore, the idea of floating in the sky can lead to imagining worst-case scenarios.

“If catastrophic situations, such as engine failure, bad turbulence or a hijacking occur, the plane could crash. This fear of death can cause major flight anxiety, even if someone knows deep down those things are extremely unlikely. Their mind can go into overdrive.”

If you can understand that a simple of lack of control, rational or not, can lead to a severe fear of flying, then you can understand that the psychology of our fears can go very deep.

The point is that the start of your journey towards overcoming your fear of flying begins with questioning yourself, delving as deep as possible into your own psyche and understanding what the root of the fear is. Once you understand the root, you can properly address/solve it.

It is quite common for people to ask their doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam, or similar benzodiazepine drugs like lorazepam, temazepam or clonazepam, for their fear of flying symptoms or, alternatively, to help sleep during flights.

Ambien For Flying Anxiety

Ambien is the brand (trade) name for Zolpidem, a medication that is commonly prescribed for anxiety-related insomnia and other sleeping difficulties.

In addition to initiating sleep, Ambien has been shown in studies & common usage to help with anxiety. It is a powerful sedative that initiates sleep and alters brain chemistry. The medication works by increasing the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger in the brain ^[14].

The responsibilities of GABA include slowing nerve firing, reducing anxiety levels and muscle tension and helping to initiate sleep. The neurotransmitter also diminishes the impact of brain chemicals which permit a person to fall asleep.

Dramamine For Flying Anxiety

Dramamine, an over-the-counter medication typically used to fight motion sickness, can perform double-duty as an anxiety relief solution for air travel ^[15].

In a magazine interview the aerospace expert Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial pilot who now teaches flight classes and covers air travel for multiple publications, explained that “many people think the OTC drug Dramamine is only taken to combat nausea, but it’s actually quite effective at inducing drowsiness and reducing anxiety in nervous flyers. I recommend it to passengers as an alternative to that pre-takeoff or in-flight martini. Besides, alcohol dehydrates the body on a cellular level, and the last thing anyone needs while traveling in the ultra-dry air of an airline cabin is more dehydration. ”

Dramamine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. It is typically used to treat or prevent nausea, vomiting, and dizziness associated with motion sickness, but the motion sickness drug provides relaxation benefits as well.

Benzodiazepines For Flying Anxiety

Benzodiazepines, typically prescribed under the brand names Valium, Xanax, Restoril, Ativan and Klonopin, are the oldest and most well-known controlled substances for anxiety ^[11].

Benzodiazepines like Xanax work by decreasing abnormal excitement within the brain. They act on the brain and central nervous system (CNS) to produce a calming effect ^[12].

Xanax, specifically, slows down the movement of brain chemicals that may have become unbalanced, resulting in a reduction in nervous tension and anxiety. Much like Ambien, Xanax does this by boosting the effects of a natural chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is made in the brain ^[13].

The Case Against Anxiety Medications For Fear of Flying

More recently, several prominent medical sources have spoken out against the use of anxiety medications like benzodiazepines to help with individuals fear of flying issues, with the primary negative points being ^[10]:

Diazepam & Benzodiazepine drugs reduces awareness and reaction times, so in the rare case of an emergency you risk not being able to react to save your life if you have to escape quickly. You may also put other people in danger by getting in their way or making them help you.
The use of benzodiazepine drugs can make you sleep in an unnaturally deep sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep so you have a bigger risk of getting a blood clot (Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT) in the leg or lungs. Blood clots are very dangerous and can kill. This risk is bigger if your flight is longer than 4 hours.
Benzodiazepines and similar prescription drugs have short term negative effects on memory, co-ordination, concentration and reaction times, and are (extremely) addictive if used for a long time, with withdrawal leading to fits, hallucinations, agitation and confusion. These drugs have also become widely used drugs of abuse since they first came on the market. Diazepam in the UK & US, for example, is a controlled drug. The prescribing guidelines doctors have to follow say that use to treat short-term “mild” anxiety is inappropriate. They are only to be used short term for a ‘crisis in generalized anxiety’. But if you are having such a crisis you are not likely to be fit to fly. Fear of flying in isolation is not a generalized anxiety disorder.
Diazepam, Benzodiazepine and similar controlled drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with law enforcement in some places.

Natural Flying Anxiety Medication Alternatives

Instead of recommending prescription anxiety medications for flight anxiety, experts in the aviation industry have started to recommend more natural, and ideally non-addictive, alternatives to help people with flight anxiety. We personally recommend looking further into Melatonin (although more suited to restful sleep and jetlag symptom reduction), GABA supplements and natural calming solutions.

Melatonin For Flying Anxiety

Dr. Khalid Saeed, a Tampa Bay Concierge Doctor, stated in an interview that he ^[15]:

“Recommend[s] melatonin as a natural supplement to my patients with flight-related anxiety. Melatonin induces sleep and adjusts your circadian clock to help you function better when you reach your destination. I suggest taking melatonin a few days before your trip so that you’re ready to sleep thirty minutes to an hour earlier than normal. It will decrease jet lag if taken close to your target bedtime at your destination, and there are no major side effects to worry about. Plus, your flight will be over before you know it!”

Melatonin is a hormone that your brain typically produces in response to darkness. It helps with the timing of your circadian rhythms (24-hour internal clock) and with sleep. Being exposed to light at night can block melatonin production ^[16].

Research suggests that melatonin plays other important roles in the body beyond sleep, and study is constantly being carried out on its other benefits. One of the known side-benefits of melatonin is its ability to help with jet lag.

Jet lag affects people when they travel by air across multiple time zones. With jet lag, you may not feel well overall and you may have disturbed sleep, daytime tiredness, impaired functioning, and digestive problems.

Medium-sized reviews from 2010 and 2014 showed that melatonin supplements can have a positive effect on jetlag. Four studies in particular that included a total of 142 travelers, showed that melatonin may be better than a placebo (an inactive substance) in reducing overall symptoms of jet lag after eastward flights. Another study of 234 travelers on eastward flights looked at only sleep quality and found evidence that melatonin may be better than placebo for improving sleep quality ^[16].

GABA For Flying Anxiety

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, shortened to GABA, is a naturally-occurring amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter within the body. GABA has been shown in numerous studies to have a calming effect, and GABA deficiency is believed to play a part in several anxiety disorders ^[17].

Studies that used GABA supplementation have found it may have a positive effect on stress and anxiety ^[18], which would help block the symptoms associated with flying anxiety in a similar way to benzodiazepines like xanax without the associated addiction risk, drowsiness or other side-effects.

Natural Supplements For Flying Anxiety

Some dietary supplements contain a mix of ingredients that support calm and clear, east thinking, which may counteract the negative effects of a fear of flying.

One example that I personally like and have recommended to several clients is PerformZen, which contains GABA, L-theanine and Magnesium, as well as cognitive-enhancing ingredients Ginkgo Biloba, Vitamin B6 and Theacrine. These ingredients have been shown to help induce a calming effect on the body, as well as keeping the brain as sharp as it needs to be during the more taxing parts of your travel. I even interviewed the founder of PerformZen and secured a limited-time discount for PerformanceAnxiety.com readers. Check that out here.

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Final Thoughts on Flying Anxiety Medications

If you’ve suffered from a lifelong (or recently developed) fear of flying, know that you are not alone with your fear. One in six people have a fear of flying, according to recent studies ^[1]. If you are part of this group, suffering from flight anxiety, then you may be considering using benzodiazepines like Xanax, Dramamine, or Ambien to help with your symptoms.

Before you consider using any prescription medications, particularly highly addictive and problematic medications like Xanax, we recommend trying a natural alternative like melatonin, GABA or natural anxiety supplements like PerformZen.

Before starting any new medication, ensure that you speak with a licensed medical professional to ensure that there will be no negative interactions with other medications you take, or any unexpected side effects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16971751/

Stress reliever for dogs that can be given

Solution to the main problem: stress in dogs

Stress - feelings of nervousness, anxiety or apprehension - is at the root of most behavioral problems in dogs. Sometimes anxiety is perfectly normal, but it becomes a problem when it is severe or frequent enough to negatively impact a pet's or its owner's quality of life. If your dog is stressed, you may notice a combination of the following symptoms:

Tense muscles
Shiver
Urination, defecation in the wrong place
Dog crouching close to the ground or trying to hide in a "safe" place
wide open eyes
Pricked ears
Destruction of toys, shoes and other items
sudden aggression
Decreased appetite

The cause of stress can be a move, a change of scenery, loud noises, a long absence of the owner of the house, the appearance of a new animal or person in the house.

Dealing with stress in dogs

Behavior modification is the best way to get rid of anxiety in animals. Protocols usually involve teaching dogs to stay calm when they are exposed to mild versions of their triggers, rewarding them, and gradually increasing the intensity of their exposure as long as the dog remains calm.

However, dogs sometimes find it difficult to remain calm even under the most moderate stressors. This is the time when medications and other anxiety-relieving foods become invaluable. What do we recommend giving your dog in a stressful situation.

What is a sedative?

A sedative is a medication (used by humans or animals) that helps them relax and reduce anxiety. Unlike a real anesthetic, which makes the animal extremely sleepy and unresponsive, a sedative allows the dog to be calm while still allowing him to be aware of what is happening and interact with the world around him. Sedatives are generally NOT addictive.

What are the types of sedatives?

Tricyclic antidepressants

Aggression or psychogenic itching is a direct indication for prescribing drugs in this group. Application is possible only under the supervision of a veterinarian due to frequent side effects: food refusal and increased thirst.

An example is Amitriptyline, the course of which is from one month. The effect is not immediately noticeable, only after 3-4 weeks. It is also necessary to regularly monitor the function of hematopoiesis - donating blood for a general clinical analysis, since tricyclic antidepressants can suppress the functions of the red bone marrow.

Antipsychotics

Acepromazine is the most commonly prescribed oral sedative for dogs. It is a member of the phenothiazine class of sedatives and works primarily by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain, thereby inhibiting certain brain functions. Unfortunately, acepromazine tablets can have very different effects. Some dogs may not appear sedated at all, while others may be overly calm, even with similar doses of the drug. In addition, the onset and duration of the effect may be variable and difficult to predict.

A potentially better option is to administer the liquid form of acepromazine for injection between the dog's gums and cheek. The drug is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and provides a more reliable sedative effect. Regardless of how acepromazine is administered in animals at risk, side effects such as low blood pressure and seizures are possible. That is why the drug is recommended to be used only in a veterinary clinic.

Anticonvulsants

Gabapentin. It is an anticonvulsant and analgesic drug used in humans and animals for nerve pain. In doses exceeding the usual, used for pain, causes relaxation and drowsiness. Gabapentin can be used as a tablet or liquid. Safe for almost any dog, can be used for both young and old sedation.

Barbiturates

Eliminate feelings of anxiety and fear. In case of overdose, refusal to feed and apathy can be observed. The main substance from the group of barbiturates, which is used in veterinary medicine, is phenobarbital. It is part of such drugs as Vetspokoin and Stop stress.

Tranquilizers

Benzodiazepines are the most commonly used in veterinary medicine. They have a calming and hypnotic effect on the dog's body. The drug is prescribed only by a veterinarian in serious cases of protracted stressful situations. Such drugs quickly relieve anxiety symptoms, but are addictive, and the effect of the action passes in a short time. Examples of such drugs: Lorazepam, Diazepam.

Amino acids

Safe nutritional supplements based on the amino acid tryptophan help animals cope with low levels of stress. An example of such a drug can be Trinorm tablets.

Herbal products

Natural herbal sedatives have few side effects, but do not work on all animals. Simultaneous use with other sedatives is unacceptable. Drugs that are most often prescribed to animals: tablets and drops cat Bayun and Fiteks.

Pheromones

Pheromones are substances that provide communication at the level of subtle odors, which are available only to animals of one species. That is, a cat, a rabbit or a person is not able to feel the pheromones of a dog. To eliminate anxiety and stress in dogs, synthetic analogues of this substance, which is secreted by a nursing bitch, are used. Pheromones are absolutely safe, have no side effects, but not all owners are satisfied with the result of their use. The most famous drugs for dogs: Adaptil, Sentry, Zilken.

How to calm a dog at home?

Owners looking for a sedative to give their dogs at home are somewhat limited in their choices. A variety of over-the-counter medications are available to treat mild anxiety, including:

Spot-on preparations for application to the withers. No Stress Beaphar. The effect persists for 7 days.
Diffusers and sprays . Adaptil, Beaphar. The effect is achieved quickly. You can spray the product in the air or apply it to your pet's bed. No direct contact with the dog is required.
Oral drops . Stop stress, Fiteks, Vetspokoin. The medicine is not recommended to be added to water, but can be applied to food if the dog is sure to eat the entire portion.
Collars . Sentry, Cani Comfort, Adaptil. Collars based on pheromones, the effect begins after 15 minutes, the duration with constant wear is 4 weeks.
Gel Sileo . Applied to the dog's gums, sedation is achieved in a short time and lasts for several hours.
Tablets . Stop stress, Calm down, GIGI Da-ba Relax Plus, Vetspokoin, Zilken.

All drugs with different active ingredients. Be sure to read the instructions before use.

What are the benefits of sedation?

Sedatives are cheap, easy to give, and reduce stress for you, the veterinarians, and most importantly, your pet. Sedatives also protect against bites and scratches from panicked animals. Sedatives calm animals, help them stay still and prevent them from getting scared or hurting themselves.

What are the disadvantages of sedatives?

Sedatives don't work as well when given after the pet is already aroused, so most dogs are better off taking a sedative before they become stressed. The drugs require you to watch your pet for several hours after administration. Some drugs have side effects such as excessive lethargy, refusal to feed, lowering blood pressure. That is why it is better to engage in the selection of the drug and its dosage together with a veterinarian.

Sedatives are not something to fear or worry about. There is nothing wrong with giving or offering a sedative to your beloved pet. Modern medicines are safe, effective and do not bring big losses. They are easy to give and are not addictive.

If you have any questions about sedatives or think they might help your pet, our veterinarians can determine which sedative is best for your dog, depending on the problem to be addressed and general condition your pet's health.

Whatever medication is prescribed, be sure to strictly follow dosage instructions, never give more than the recommended amount of sedation, and discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your doctor.

Specialists of the veterinary clinic "in Good Hands" work around the clock and seven days a week. Call or come to the appointment!

Author: Kulakov Konstantin Igorevich

how it works in the body, how it works in tablets and whether it can be drunk without a doctor's prescription

Daniil Davydov

medical journalist

Author profile

The short answer is: it depends on the dosage.

But you need to keep in mind that melatonin is in principle contraindicated for some people.

Go see a doctor

Our articles are written with love for evidence-based medicine. We refer to authoritative sources and go to doctors with a good reputation for comments. But remember: the responsibility for your health lies with you and your doctor. We don't write prescriptions, we make recommendations. Relying on our point of view or not is up to you.

What is melatonin

Melatonin belongs to the class of neurohormones — this is the name of all hormones that are synthesized in the brain. Based on available data, melatonin has many biological functions, from fighting inflammation to lowering blood pressure.

What is melatonin - an international textbook for medical students StatPearls

But the main task of melatonin is to maintain the body's circadian rhythms. Simply put, melatonin is responsible for the regulation of our biological clock: it moves it from the "sleep" to the "wake" position, and vice versa.

Why do we need melatonin — an international directory of medicines Drugs.com

This is necessary to separate different physiological processes in time: to make sure that the mechanisms responsible for digestion and, for example, learning, turn on during the day. And at night, during rest, it is more convenient to do other things - for example, the restoration of cells damaged during the day and the formation of a long-term memory that stores the knowledge gained during daylight hours. As a result, the body really starts to work like a clock: it does everything on time, so that different processes do not interfere with each other.

The biological clock, which ensures the smooth functioning of the body, consists of three elements:

The retina of the eye, which captures light.
The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, or SCN, is an area of the brain that is sensitive to the change of day and night.
The pineal gland is a part of the brain in which melatonin is synthesized.

The eyes inform the SCN of the time of day and it decides whether it is time for the pineal gland to stimulate melatonin

If no light hits the retina, it relays the information to the suprachiasmatic nucleus so that the pituitary gland tells the pineal gland to begin melatonin synthesis. Melatonin is the message “night has come” encrypted in the chemical.

When this neurohormone enters the bloodstream, the brain and internal organs understand that it is time to do night activities. As a result, we begin to feel sleepy. And the more melatonin in the blood, the more you want to sleep.

Influence of light on circadian rhythms, sleep and mood of people - the journal "Somnology"

healthy people is the strongest.

If even a little light hits the retina, it sends another signal to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and the hypothalamus tells the pineal gland to stop melatonin synthesis. As a result, the body decides that morning is coming, and gradually begins to wake up, that is, it turns off the night processes and turns on the day ones.

The more light, the less melatonin: during the day, the concentration of this hormone in the blood drops 10 times to 20 pg/ml. That is why it is not recommended to use a smartphone and other devices with luminous screens at night: blue light from gadgets suppresses melatonin synthesis and it becomes more difficult to fall asleep.

6 things for healthy sleep

How melatonin drugs and supplements work

People have created melatonin drugs to manually reset their body clock. The body does not care where melatonin enters the bloodstream - from the pineal gland or from a pill.

How melatonin drugs work - an international guide for doctors Uptodate

And if so, then theoretically such drugs can help with insomnia and other conditions in which melatonin is involved in the regulation. For example, with the jet lag syndrome that occurs due to long-haul flights - jet lag. People suffering from jet lag complain of fatigue, insomnia, headache and loss of appetite.

Nevertheless, medicines and preparations in which melatonin is the active substance have not been fully studied, and their effect is still relatively modest. The strongest evidence for the effectiveness of melatonin is associated with sleep disturbances in blind people, as well as in those who have trouble falling asleep and disturbed sleep-wake cycles. Some authors add jetlag to the list.

Melatonin is only effective for sleep problems - International Drug Directory RxList

Melatonin may be effective for jet lag MSD

Sleep disorders. Results from 19 clinical trials involving more than 1,500 children and adults showed that people who took melatonin for 2-5 weeks fell asleep 7 minutes earlier and slept about 8 minutes longer than those who received placebo. True, it was not possible to prove that in the end they slept better. The dosages of melatonin taken by the participants varied, ranging from 0.5 to 5 mg on average.

Jetlag. Four studies involving 232 people showed that people who took 3-6 mg melatonin tablets 5 days before and after a flight rated the severity of jet lag symptoms on a 100-point scale of 27 points. Those who took the placebo rated the severity of their symptoms on the same scale at 45 points.

Melatonin may well be effective for endometriosis, high blood pressure, anxiety before surgery, jaw pain, low platelets, as an adjunct to chemotherapy for certain tumors, or as a sunburn remedy. But to say for sure, more research is needed to clearly show its effectiveness.

/klinicheskoe-issledovanie/

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Most likely, melatonin does not help to stop drugs, does not alleviate senile dementia, does not help correct sleep patterns in shift workers, does not improve performance in the gym, does not cure infertility and depression.

At the same time, most researchers note that melatonin is a rather promising substance. To finally admit it to the world of big medicine, several large clinical trials will be required. Without this, it is difficult to figure out which diseases benefit from melatonin the most and in what dosages it works best.

Until such studies appear, the attitude towards melatonin in the world is ambiguous. In the USA, for example, there are no medicines with melatonin, but only nutritional supplements that can be bought in any dosage without a doctor's prescription. Both OTC medicines and melatonin supplements are available in our country.

Preparation with melatonin. Price: 150 R. Source: "Asna" Additive with him. Price: 990 R. Source: "Vitaminonline.ru"

But in the UK, the European Union, Japan, Australia and Canada, melatonin is available only in the form of a prescription drug.

Why melatonin is sold only in drug form in the European Union - Bulletin of the European Medical Agency

The sale of melatonin supplements in these countries is in principle prohibited, and this ban has serious justifications.

What happens if you take melatonin without consulting your doctor

It depends on the concentration of melatonin in the supplement or medication. Studies show that the effect depends on the dosage.

At a daily dose of 0.3-0.5 mg melatonin levels in the blood do not exceed the natural nocturnal peak. As a result, the effect of it is the same as that of "natural" melatonin, that is, a person falls asleep faster and more soundly. Melatonin in such dosages does not harm health.

At a daily dose of 1-10 mg of , the level of melatonin in the blood increases by 3-60 times. Although melatonin itself is not poisonous, at such concentrations it has an overly powerful biological effect on the body. A person who has taken a supplement or medication may experience severe daytime sleepiness, reduced performance, and a drop in body temperature that will feel like an unpleasant chill.

Melatonin 0.3-0.5 mg is considered safe and can be taken by most people without discomfort.

Side effects of melatonin - Drugs.com International Drug Directory

However, it can still cause side effects in some people:

Daytime sleepiness.
Depressed mood, feeling of irritability.
Headache or dizziness.
Abdominal pain.

Pregnant women, children under 18, and people with medical conditions should always consult a doctor before buying melatonin products. In pregnant women and children, melatonin sometimes behaves unpredictably. And in people with diseases, the consequences can be very severe.

Melatonin supplements and medicines do not work well with certain medicines. For example, caffeine and the antidepressant fluvoxamine can increase plasma concentrations of melatonin, increasing the risk of side effects from taking this drug.

Melatonin: 7 things you need to know - International Medicines Guide Drugs.com

Melatonin can lower the concentration of nifedipine. This is quite dangerous, because nifedipine is a drug for high blood pressure. If such a medicine does not work or is not effective enough, it is life-threatening.

Melatonin supplements and medications cause severe side effects in some patients. For example, they can cause bleeding in people with bleeding disorders, increase blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, provoke convulsions in people with seizure disorders, and increase depression symptoms in people with depression. And melatonin can lead to transplant rejection - this is true for people who have recently undergone an organ transplant.

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