[PSY]

Some people only take anti-anxiety medication when they first begin treatment, or they only take it when they are having a panic attack or about to undergo a stressful situation (ex. taking an important exam). So if you're worried about becoming addicted, please rest assured that many people have managed to successfully find a balance with their anti-anxiety medication. In fact, depending on the kind of anxiety you're experiencing, you may be able to wean off of it once you've learned coping techniques through therapy. The anti-anxiety medication may just be used to put you in a better mindset - for example, if you're not worrying about an upcoming test 24/7 because the anti-anxiety medication is having an effect on you, then you can focus on learning coping techniques in therapy. Once those techniques have been learned and you know how to successfully use them in the "real world" (ex. breathing exercises before/during/after an exam), the medication may not be necessary. =) And, of course, if your symptoms worsen or the anti-anxiety medication isn't working well enough, you can always talk to your doctor about weaning off the medication and trying something different, or taking a break from medication altogether.