I Am Taking Anxiety Medication, Will It Affect My Drug Test Results?

Anxiety is our body's response to danger. It is an automatic alarm that is triggered when we feel under pressure, threatened, or if we are under a lot of stress. It is normal to feel anxious, especially when facing difficult situations; however, if your anxiety becomes constant and overwhelming, and when it starts to interfere with your life, you might be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

There are certain medications that can relieve the symptoms of anxiety and help you function normally. Unfortunately, these medications can result in side effects, including the risk of addiction. If you are currently taking anxiety medications, you should understand what kind of drugs are in the prescription, its side effects, and how it will affect the results of a drug test.

Understanding Anxiety Medications

Different kinds of medications are prescribed when treating anxiety disorders. Benzodiazepines is the most common type of anti-anxiety prescription drugs and this includes Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin. These drugs can relieve anxiety because it slows down the central nervous system. It can have a relaxing and calming effect, bringing relief from panic attacks within thirty minutes to an hour. But while the anti-anxiety drugs relieve anxiety, it can also result in unwanted side effects, such as:

1. Dizziness and lightheadedness
2. Inability to concentrate, memory loss
3. Slurred speech
4. Slow reflexes
5. Drowsiness
6. Lethargy
7. Confusion
8. Depression

Although these medications can help you deal with this mental distress; however, you should not consider them as a long-term cure. If you are suffering from anxiety disorder, you need to understand that the medications can only provide you with temporary relief. It doesn't actually solve the root cause of your anxiety. Once you stop taking the drugs, the symptoms of anxiety will return in full force or worse.

Does Taking Anxiety Medications Affect Drug Test Results?

If you are worried about how the drug test results will impact your upcoming employment screening or if you have been pulled over for suspicion of DUI, you need to know what kinds of drugs are tested.

DUI Urine Test: If you are asked to submit to a urine test for suspicion of DUI, it is best to inform the police officer of the current medications you are taking. It also helps to provide proof of the prescription. According to the DUI attorneys at http://suhrelawlexington.com/, the urine sample is usually tested for common drugs, such as heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Adderall, which is usually present in prescription drugs, will also show up on the results.

Employment Screening: Employers are required to conduct the basic screening which tests for five substances:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Opium, morphine, and heroin
• Amphetamines
• Phencyclidine

Since benzodiazepines are not included in the list for the basic drug test, you have nothing to worry about; however, they may be included if the employer choose to expand the drug screening. Keep in mind that taking anti-anxiety drugs may result in a positive test result. It is best to talk to the employer or police officer beforehand. Let the people involved know that you are taking prescribed medication.

You might also be given forms which you need to fill up. You can write any prescription medication you are currently taking. The laboratory will discount the results if you provide a list. It is also a good idea to bring your doctor's written prescription.

About Author:

Kris Hopkins is a healthcare provider who is aware that some medications may cause the drug result to be positive. In this article, she discusses what anti-anxiety medications are and what to do in case of a drug test.