Can cold medicine give you anxiety?

Ah, winter colds. Who hasn’t been there? You’re curled up on the couch, surrounded by tissues and cough syrup bottles, thinking about cancelling all plans until further notice. Getting better is a top priority now, even if it means you have to take any medication necessary.

But what if the remedy makes things worse? What if your go-to cold medicine triggers anxiety or worsens an existing disorder? We’ve heard rumors and tales of such experiences before, so let’s dive into this topic head-first!

The Suspects

First thing’s first – which common cold medicines are allegedly guilty of causing anxiety symptoms? Here are some usual suspects:

  • Pseudoephedrine
  • Phenylephrine
  • Diphenhydramine (yep, good ol’ Benadryl)
  • Guaifenesin + Dextromethorphan combination products

Of course, just because they’re suspected doesn’t mean they’re immediately tossed out as a danger to everyone who needs relief from a stuffy nose or persistent cough. But we’ll come back to that later.

What Do These Ingredients Do Anyway?

Before we proceed any further down the rabbit hole that is cold medication-induced anxiety symptoms, let’s talk about what each ingredient does individually:

Pseudoephedrine

If you’ve ever bought over-the-counter decongestants for nasal congestion relief, chances are pseudoephedrine was hanging around somewhere on the label. It works by constricting blood vessels in nasal passages and reducing inflammation – exactly what someone with a blocked nose would need.

Unfortunately though,pseudoephedrine can cause restlessness, nervousness and difficulty sleeping in some individuals due to its effects stimulating areas of your central nervous system”

Phenylephrine

Nowadays many drugs manufacturers have switched persudoepherine to phenylepheripne because it has some the same benefits without causing those pesky side effects! It’s found in most common cold-relief products that say “non-drowsy” on them, as it doesn’t have prominent sleep-inducing properties.

However, despite being a preferred alternative by drug manufacturers for individuals who are either at high-risk or already diagnosed with anxiety-related disorders; ‘Phenylephrine can increase feelings of restlessness and cause elevating heart rates’

Diphenhydramine

Diphenhydramine is better known under brand names like Benadryl. While primarily used for allergy symptoms relief – swelling, itching, hives- , diphenhydramine also provides mild sedation which make it effective in treating insomnia (in ability to sleep) due to its sleepy nature;

But when too much is taken- coupled with other aspects such an caffeine in coffee and lack of sufficient food consumption?–restlessness, nervousness,and worsened anxiety come out to play!

Guaifenesin + Dextromethorphan combination products

Coughing consistently instead of breathing through your nose not only keeps people up but soothes no one(if you dont count cat purrs). For this reason many people opt for cough syrups containing both guaifenesin (an expectorant that loosens mucus) & dextromethpan-that quiets part of brain controlling couging reflexes-sleepiness but these ingredients are not typically associated with panic attackS HIENTHIS SHOULD READ WONT MAKE ANXIETY DISORDERS THE CAUSE OF YOUR NIGHTMARES.

What Is Anxiety Anyway?

Before we go determine if there’s a link between OTC cough medication and emotional responses theresone thing thats certain: we must begin by understanding what exactly causes anxiety – and determining the difference between general stress and “oh look, time for a genuine worry frenzy”.

To put it simply: Anxiety is a response by our body’s natural alert system to danger. This ‘danger’ could take various forms- from physical threats (like being mugged) to emotional ones (like worrying about future finances). Our bodies respond automatically so say with us, thanks mammalian inheritance!. But as humans we are capable of rationalizing how we feel or why we may be experiencing certain emotions versus animal who just react

So when that fight-or-flight instinct goes into overdrive even in situations where there is no direct threat? Thats known as an anxiety disorder which affects millions upon millions of people world wide.

Types Of Anxiety Disorders

It’s crucial to state here that not all feelings of nervousness, phobias or worries fall under the umbrella term “anxiety disorder.” There are different types:

  1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  2. Panic Disorder
  3. Social Anxiety Disorder
  4. Agoraphobia
  5. Specific Phobias

All have their own unique characteristics & symptoms ranging from suddenly feeling panicked out of nowhere (Panic Disorder) to excessive fear surrounding social settings which can make individuals believe they’re being observed / judged(Social anxiety).

It shows up differently across demographics; sometimes childhood terrors become adult anxieties but regardless , its one hully set of affliction!

Single Sympathomimetic-Amines And Their Role In Triggering Is Alarming According To Studies

As you saw earlier two commonly found ingredients in cold-relief OTC drugs Pseudoephedrine and Phenylephrine always appear hand-in-handings–on medical dictionary sheets usually paired due sharing common qualities described in medicine-language such vasoconstrictive abilities ;

However numerous medical institutions including Harvard Medical School warn against this combination throwing a speed bump in the road for people hoping to one-drop-shop great relief . According to these authorities when two sympathomimetic amines are used together? It can result in cardiac events like palpitations and increased heartrate. Happily the correlation between this interaction being a prelude to anxiety-related symptoms remains unofficially understood.

That Being Said…

So, should you avoid all cold medication if you have any form of anxiety disorder or suspect that it will somehow make things worse?

Nope! While some reactions might be too intense for someone with such dispositions concerning medicine (especially those described as above) this does not apply universally. Considering how common colds happen during winter months – and usually put folks under enough stress already considering missed classes, jam-packed work schedules etc.- looking at other angles where remedies without Pseudoephedrine, Phenylephrine ,Diphenhydramine could provide alternative benefits would detour unnecessary panic attacks.

Here’s an option table from Harvard Health outlining expectorant based options:

Active ingredient Brand names
Dextromethorphan Robitussin-DM,Toussledm
coughs and pain meds Tylenol-Cold,Mucinex-Cold&Bacteria

Would you looked at that! The non-psychoactive ingredients known for loosening mucus while coupling brain suppression effects of Dexthromehporhan now bring-sleep while quieting down sensations around throat area relieving coughs!

So What Should I Do Now?

Well first off,don’t panic! If reading through this has left anyone wishing they never needed cold-relief drugs again don’t worry ; knowlegde is power afterall.There are still plenty of OTC medications available on shelves which Don’t contain listed aforementioned ingredients so ensuring thorough research is made into your options will save uncomfortable sighs come days where sniffles and headaches call.

Also conversing with a medical professional about any potential side risks that might crop up due to existing conditions,is never a bad idea!

Additionally certain lifestyle changes like yoga,meditation or therapy could improve overall self-assurance in technique of tackling anxiety-related symptoms ; so consider the mix of them too!

Final Thoughts

All ideas considered, it’s important for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders to realize how important their role in regulating medication intake is. Seeking advice & consulting professional opinion can go along way ensuring you get relief without worsening already present conditions- OR creating new ones altogether.

Mark this one under valuable lesson learned; when they say “always read the fine print”,they mean it!

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