The answer to this question is almost certainly a bit of a grey area.
In most cases, drugs that are generally accepted as safe for treatment are better at relieving symptoms than those that are not.
These include drugs used to treat anxiety disorders, mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
For instance, antidepressants, such as Prozac and Paxil, are generally considered safe for use as a treatment for anxiety and are often prescribed for depression.
However, they are sometimes prescribed for anxiety-related conditions that are often accompanied by other mental disorders.
So while the same drugs may be used to relieve symptoms of panic disorder, anxiety and depression, they can also be used in combination with other drugs to treat mood disorders, psychosis and psychosis-like episodes.
In fact, there is growing evidence that antidepressants can treat psychosis, psychosis-associated hallucinations and other mental illnesses.
However a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in December last year concluded that antidepressants are not superior to placebo in treating psychotic episodes.
The researchers looked at data from 10 studies and found that antidepressants were associated with higher rates of psychotic episodes, but were not better than placebo.
So, it is not clear why antidepressants are generally regarded as safer than other treatments for mental health problems, particularly anxiety and psychosis.
One theory is that anxiety-depression drugs work by blocking a pathway that allows anxiety to be transmitted through the brain and can therefore help to control symptoms.
But another theory is because anxiety can be transmitted by its own route, such that a person who has been prescribed a mood-boosting medication may then start to feel worse.
This has been seen in other cases of schizophrenia.
So the issue of whether antidepressants are better than other drugs at relieishing symptoms is far from settled.
What is clear is that they are often the first line of treatment for people with mental health conditions, and they are usually prescribed for those who are least likely to respond to other treatments.
However it is still not clear whether these drugs work as well for treating mental health issues as they do for anxiety disorders.
For instance a 2015 study in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology found that fluoxetine, a medication used to control anxiety, did not work well in people with depression or psychosis.
In other words, it may be better to use antidepressants as a last resort rather than as a first line treatment for the disorder.
This is because depression can be treated with other treatments as well as with medication.
The findings suggest that the first-line treatment of anxiety and other mood disorders is not the most effective way to treat these conditions.
However the drugs do work well as a preventative measure against some mental health disorders and as a way to relieve some symptoms of anxiety.
So these drugs may offer a safe and effective treatment for some conditions, but they are not an absolute panacea for all mental health challenges.
This article appeared in The Times Of India, an English language edition of The Times Group of companies.
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