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If you've been feeling more nervous, restless, or having trouble sleeping lately, it's normal to look for something quick at the pharmacy before going to the doctor.
For mild anxiety, you can buy over-the-counter herbal preparations like valerian or passionflower, which help you relax. However, strong anxiolytics like lorazepam (Ativan) always require a prescription in Spain.
Over-the-counter medicinal plant preparations
For mild anxiety, one of the most common over-the-counter options in Spain is to use herbal remedies. In pharmacies and drugstores, you'll find traditional medicines based on valerian, passionflower, linden, or hawthorn, indicated for mild anxiety and occasional sleep problems.
They come in capsules, drops or infusions and their effect is moderate, so they are more useful for occasional stress than for a sustained anxiety disorder.
Even if they are "natural", they can cause drowsiness or interact with other drugs, so it is advisable to discuss with the pharmacist what other treatments you are taking and always follow the instructions in the package leaflet.
Supplements such as tryptophan or melatonin
Tryptophan supplements and some melatonin products are also sold over the counter at pharmacies, primarily intended to improve sleep and overall well-being, not to treat severe anxiety. L-tryptophan is an amino acid that many products combine with magnesium or vitamins, and its effect, when present, is gradual, occurring after several days of use.
Melatonin is primarily used for insomnia or jet lag. Low doses are marketed as dietary supplements, while higher doses are sold as medications, some available without a prescription and others requiring one depending on the brand and indication.
That's why it's important to ask at the pharmacy what type of product you are buying and always respect the dose and duration indicated by the manufacturer or the healthcare professional.
Which anxiety medications do require a prescription?
Powerful anti-anxiety medications, such as the benzodiazepines lorazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam, always require a prescription in Spain. They are reserved for more severe anxiety and for limited periods due to the risk of dependence, intense drowsiness, and other adverse effects.
Antidepressants, which are frequently used to treat anxiety, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), should only be taken under medical supervision. Using leftover medications or pills offered by someone else is unsafe and can mask or worsen the underlying problem.
When is it important to see a doctor?
You should stop self-medicating and seek medical help when anxiety lasts for several weeks, prevents you from working, studying, or socializing normally, or is accompanied by an intense feeling of suffocation, chest pain, or dizziness.
If deep sadness, apathy, or thoughts of self-harm also appear, there may also be a problem with depression, and it is essential to consult a professional.
Even if your symptoms are mild, if you rely every day on herbal infusions, plants or supplements just to get through the day, it is a good idea to have a doctor or mental health specialist assess the underlying cause and discuss treatment options, including psychological therapies.
This text is for informational purposes only. For the correct dosage and use of any product, you should always follow the official leaflet and the instructions of your pharmacist or doctor.
