Most people who look into medication for anxiety or depression have been weighing it for weeks or months, often after therapy helped some but not enough, or after a primary care prescription that never quite fit. Banyan’s psychiatrists help you make that decision with validated information. Banyan’s psychiatrists see patients in Burlingame, San Jose, and by telehealth across California. If you start medication, they stay with you through the whole course, from the first prescription to the day you taper off.
A psychiatric evaluation makes sense when anxiety or depression is getting in the way of ordinary life and hasn’t eased on its own. Common signs include:
For many people, the research does not crown a winner. A large analysis of head-to-head studies found psychotherapy and antidepressants work about equally well for depression, panic disorder, and social anxiety. A follow-up analysis found that adding therapy to medication worked better than medication alone for depression, panic disorder, and OCD.
The right choice for you depends on how severe your symptoms are, what you’ve already tried, how you feel about taking medication, and how much time you can give to weekly therapy. Your psychiatrist will give you an honest recommendation. If medication and therapy together look like the best fit, you can do both at Banyan, or keep the therapist you already see and add a Banyan psychiatrist alongside them.
Medical guidelines recommend the same two families of medication first for both depression and anxiety. Your psychiatrist will explain any specific medication before you start it. The table below covers the general categories.
| Type | Often Used For | Worth Knowing |
|---|---|---|
| SSRIs | Depression and most anxiety disorders | Usually the first choice. Early side effects such as nausea or sleep changes often ease within a few weeks; others, like sexual side effects, can last and are worth raising. |
| SNRIs | Depression, generalized anxiety, and panic | Another first-line option, sometimes chosen when an SSRI hasn’t helped. |
| Benzodiazepines | Short-term relief from severe anxiety or panic | They work quickly but carry a risk of dependence, so guidelines limit them to short periods, often while an SSRI or SNRI takes effect. |
| Other options | Symptoms that haven’t responded to first choices | Includes other antidepressants and add-on medications. Your psychiatrist will explain the reasoning if one of these comes up. |
People respond to medication differently, and finding the right one sometimes takes more than one try. Background and ancestry can play a part too, which our culturally responsive psychiatry page explains.
Follow-up visits are closer together early on and spread out as things settle.
Your psychiatrist will talk with you about how and when you might stop before you ever start. A sudden stop can bring on discontinuation symptoms like dizziness, trouble sleeping, nausea, or a flu-like feeling. A gradual taper lowers that risk, and people who have taken medication for a long time usually need a slower one.
Part of your psychiatrist’s job is telling discontinuation symptoms apart from a return of anxiety or depression. Discontinuation symptoms usually show up within days and tend to feel physical, while a relapse builds over weeks. If symptoms come up during a taper, the pace can slow or pause. Please talk with your psychiatrist before stopping any medication, even when you feel well.
Every Banyan psychiatrist is a physician with residency training in psychiatry. They understand patients who speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Spanish, so you can describe what you’re feeling in the language that fits it best. They also work alongside Banyan’s psychologists and neuropsychologists, which matters when anxiety overlaps with something like ADHD or when therapy and medication need to move together. Visits happen by video anywhere in California or in person in Burlingame and San Jose, and we’re in-network with Blue Shield of California, Chinese Community Health Plan (CCHP), and Wellfleet student plans (Stanford and UC Irvine).
You don’t need to have made up your mind about medication to book. One evaluation with a Banyan psychiatrist will tell you whether medication makes sense for your anxiety or depression, which option fits, and what else might help. Schedule your consultation to get started.
Common questions about psychiatric medication for anxiety and depression.
Book a free phone consultation with Banyan. Our psychiatrists treat anxiety and depression in Burlingame and San Jose, see patients by telehealth anywhere in California, and accept Blue Shield of California and Chinese Community Health Plan (CCHP).
It depends on how much your symptoms affect daily life, what you’ve tried, and your own preferences. Therapy and medication work about equally well for many people, and combining them often works best. A psychiatric evaluation gives you a clear recommendation so you can decide with real information.
Usually four to eight weeks for the full effect. Sleep, appetite, and energy often improve before mood. Your psychiatrist checks in during that time and adjusts if needed.
Most people don’t. A common course is 6 to 12 months after you start feeling better, followed by a gradual taper. Some people with repeated episodes choose to stay on medication longer, and that decision is made together with your psychiatrist.
Antidepressants are not considered addictive, but stopping them suddenly can cause discontinuation symptoms, which is why your psychiatrist will taper them slowly. Benzodiazepines are different; they can cause dependence and are generally used only short-term.
Yes, and they’re worth knowing. In some people under 25, antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts during the first weeks of treatment or after a dose change. Your psychiatrist will watch for this closely and ask you to call right away if your mood worsens. If you’re in crisis, call or text 988.
Yes. Many patients see a Banyan psychiatrist for medication and keep their outside therapist. With your permission, we’ll coordinate with them.
A psychiatrist can help if the medication isn’t working, causes side effects you can’t live with, or if your symptoms are complicated by another condition. You don’t need to stop what you’re taking before your evaluation.
We’re in-network with Blue Shield of California PPO and HMO plans, Chinese Community Health Plan (CCHP) and Wellfleet student health plans (Stanford and UC Irvine). Private pay is available with superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. We run a courtesy eligibility check before your first visit.