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Sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers

Explains what sleeping pills and minor tranquillisers are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.

Non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medication

This page has information about non-benzodiazepine medications that you may be offered to treat anxiety. See our page on benzodiazepines for information about benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medications.

The table below allows you to compare these drugs by different factors. Some of these drugs have more than one name. You might know a drug by its generic name or its trade name. See our page on drug names for more information.

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Generic name

Trade names (UK)

Forms available

Half-life

Dietary considerations

buspirone

none
  • tablets

2 to 11 hours
  • contains lactose
  • avoid grapefruit juice

pregabalin

Alzain, Axalid, Lecaent, Lyrica 
  • capsules
  • liquid

about 6.3 hours
  • capsules contain gelatin

You may also be prescribed other types of medication to treat anxiety, such as:

Our page on treatments for anxiety has more information, including details of non-medication treatment options.

This information was published in April 2021. We will revise it in 2024.

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