{"id":52791,"date":"2022-07-25T09:30:53","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T13:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=52791"},"modified":"2026-01-16T15:47:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T20:47:18","slug":"gabapentin-for-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/gabapentin-for-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Does gabapentin work for anxiety?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anxiety disorders are a very common mental health disorder. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association estimates that<\/span> nearly 30%<\/span><\/a> of adults are affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finding the right treatment, however, may take some time and effort. Medication, combined with therapy, is useful for many people struggling with anxiety. One drug that could be a possible option for you is an anticonvulsant medication known as gabapentin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neurontin (gabapentin) was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a brand-name drug in 1993 for the treatment of partial onset seizures. Currently,<\/span> gabapentin is approved<\/span><\/a> for the treatment of epilepsy, as well as nerve pain from conditions like shingles and moderate to severe restless leg syndrome.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it may be best known as an antiepileptic medication, gabapentin has a number of off-label uses, too, such as for alcohol withdrawal, neuropathic pain, and hot flashes associated with menopause. It\u2019s even been found to be successful in helping people with alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder, as a<\/span>\u00a0clinical trial<\/span><\/a> published in <\/span>JAMA Internal Medicine<\/span><\/i> found a few years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

And while it\u2019s not considered a first-line medication for anxiety like a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is, some doctors also use gabapentin to treat anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t

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Does gabapentin help with anxiety?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Gabapentin is an analogue of the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA basically calms excited neurons that are firing in the brain. Gabapentin mirrors or mimics that behavior through a slightly different mechanism of action, according to the Cleveland Clinic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, the big question is this: Does gabapentin help treat anxiety?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do think it works pretty well,\u201d says<\/span> Howard Weeks<\/span><\/a>, MD, the chief medical officer for Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychiatric nurse practitioner<\/span> Alysha Woods<\/span><\/a>, MSN, PMHNP-BC, has a similar belief: \u201cI feel that it does work well in some cases,\u201d she says, adding, \u201cEach medication and patient\u2019s body respond differently to various treatments.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabapentin does offer a few key advantages:<\/span><\/p>\n