Meds That Treat Anxiety Anxiety affects 40 million people in the United States. There are a variety of medications available to treat it. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro and Effexor, work to alleviate anxiety by raising levels of the chemical serotonin