So one of the problems I am having to taking a new SSRI is increased anxiety so I looked online and found some info about this.
Marcinkiewcz, C. A., Mazzone, C. M., D'Agostino, G., Halladay, L. R., Hardaway, J. A., DiBerto, J. F., Navarro, M., Burnham, N., Cristiano, C., Dorrier, C. E., Tipton, G. J., Ramakrishnan, C., Kozicz, T., Deisseroth, K., Thiele, T. E., McElligott, Z. A., Holmes, A., Heisler, L. K., & Kash, T. L. (2016). Serotonin engages an anxiety and fear-promoting circuit in the extended amygdala. Nature, 537(7618), 97–101.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19318Abstract: These results reveal an essential 5-HTDRN→CRFBNST circuit governing fear and anxiety and provide a potential mechanistic explanation for the clinical observation of early adverse events to SSRI treatment in some patients with anxiety disorders1,2.Other ArticlesHow do antidepressants trigger fear and anxiety? Researchers map the anxiety circuit in the brain and use a compound to limit fearful behavior -- an acute side effect of commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressants. From Science Daily, 2016,
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160824135045.htmExcerpt: More than 100 million people worldwide take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft, to treat depression, anxiety and related conditions, but these drugs have a common and mysterious side effect: they can worsen anxiety in the first few weeks of use, which leads many patients to stop treatment. Scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine have mapped out a serotonin-driven anxiety circuit that may explain this side effect and lead to treatments to eliminate it.Coping With Anxiety Caused by Antidepressants, By Nancy Schimelpfening, December 08, 2020 - "Although they're often used to treat anxiety, antidepressants can potentially cause anxiety, especially when people begin taking them for depression."
SSRIs and Benzodiazepines for General Anxiety Disorders (GAD) from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Excerpt: SSRIs are considered the first-line medication for GAD, and will typically be prescribed first. Benzodiazepines are considered a second-line or adjunctive medication for GAD, though are still prescribed frequently, especially when a person complains of panic attacks, sleep problems, severe muscle tension, or avoidance of specific situations due to anxiety. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may recommend starting both an SSRI and a benzodiazepine, and then tapering off the benzodiazepine after 2-4 weeks. This may help you tolerate the initial unpleasant side-effects of SSRIs, while limiting the risks of longer-term benzodiazepine use.