Benadryl is a brand name for an anti-histaminic drug which has the constituent pharmaceutical salt of diphenhydramine. The anti-histaminic group of drugs is classified into two generations and diphenhydramine belongs to the first generation of drugs. Even in the first generation, it belongs to the 1st class category. In this category, those drugs are kept which has the most sedative and most potent action on humans. These were also the earliest drugs to be discovered in the antihistaminic group.
Diphenhydramine belongs to such a category and is the most sedative drug in the whole group of antihistaminic drugs. It is used for the treatment of allergic responses like anaphylaxis or other inflammatory symptoms like, rash, pain, fever, etc. Due to its sedative action, it has also been used in the treatment of insomnia that is lack of sleep during the night.(1) Anxiety can present to a person in various forms like physical symptoms of tachycardia, rash, allergy, etc. or in the form of psychological symptoms like lack of sleep, fear, phobia, increased apprehension, etc.
Does Benadryl Help With Anxiety?
Diphenhydramine or Benadryl can be used in a few of the anxiety presentations like insomnia, allergic response, tachycardia. It has a potent sedative action that helps to induce sleep in the cases of insomnia, has an anti-allergic response to curb the allergy.
Benadryl or diphenhydramine can be used in anxiety and is helpful for its treatment but it is not a first-line drug for anxiety issues. It doesn’t have a specific anti-anxiety action due to which it cannot be used as a basic medication for generalized anxiety.
What About Paracetamol, Does It Help With Anxiety?
Paracetamol belongs to a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory group of drugs which also are used to cure the allergic and inflammatory reactions of the body occurring due to any of the underlying causes. It is the most commonly used medication for the treatment of fever and pain hence also termed as antipyretic and analgesic.(2) It has the main role in only these two symptoms that is pyrexia and algesia. Anxiety is although known to have a variety of symptoms but fever and pain are relatively rarer symptoms to present with as compared to other physical and psychological symptoms. It signifies that paracetamol is not an anti-anxiety medication and has the very least effect on the anxiety symptoms. Paracetamol although it can be used as an adjunct to other anti-anxiety medications for relieving the symptoms in a better manner.
All the individuals need to consult the doctor in case of such problems faced because self-treatment with commonly known medications is not a solution for the problem but it can create a new problem of its own because of its side effects or other causes. Self-treatment without the proper knowledge can be dangerous for yourself as well as for the others whom you treat based on your knowledge.
Conclusion
Benadryl belongs to the antihistaminic group of drugs and is the brand name for diphenhydramine which is a potent sedative and antihistaminic drug. It has been used in a variety of symptoms caused by the anxiety out of which insomnia is the most prominent symptom to be treated by Benadryl. Anxiety usually causes apprehension or increased tension about the coming future and can lead to loss of sleep during night which can be relieved with the use of diphenhydramine. But to be careful it is not an anti-anxiety medication and the first-line drug for the generalized anxiety and also its use has to be done judiciously because it has high sedative action and abuse potential.
Paracetamol is an antipyretic and analgesic group of drugs and has the action to relieve fever and pain. These symptoms can be relieved regardless of their origin and it can also be used in adjunct to opioid analgesics to make the treatment more effective.
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