Key takeaways:
Anxiety patches are an alternative way to take certain medications by applying a patch with the medication on your skin.
Clonidine and selegiline are two medications available as patches. They’re sometimes used off-label to treat different types of anxiety disorders.
There’s little evidence for how well anti-anxiety patches work. More research needs to be done to draw definitive conclusions.
Anxiety refers to worry or fear. Nearly everyone feels anxious from time to time. But for some people, anxiety can be a symptom of a mental health condition. For example, it could point to generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder.
Treatment varies for different anxiety disorders but typically includes therapy and/or medication. While medications for anxiety are usually taken by mouth, there are two types that can also be taken as a patch. Here’s what you need to know.
What is an anti-anxiety patch?
Anti-anxiety patches (also called an anxiety patch) are an alternative way to take certain medications. They deliver medication through the skin (transdermally).
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There are two medications for anxiety available as patches:
Clonidine (Catapres-TTS): Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure. It’s also prescribed off-label for some types of anxiety disorders, like social anxiety disorder.
Selegiline (Emsam): Selegiline is an antidepressant approved to treat major depression in adults. It’s used off-label for social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. It can also be an option for treatment-resistant anxiety disorders.
Depending on the medication and dose, anxiety patches can be applied to the skin daily or weekly.
Some people find patches more convenient and easier to use than oral medication. The visible patch on the skin serves as a reminder to continue taking the medication. They can also be a good option for people who have issues swallowing pills.
How do anxiety patches work?
Selegiline and clonidine work in different ways to help with anxiety symptoms. Let’s take a closer look.
Selegiline
Selegiline is a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). MAOIs block an enzyme that breaks down some important brain chemical messengers that affect mood. These include:
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
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This increases the levels of these messengers in your brain, which can help with depression and anxiety symptoms.
MAOIs can also block the breakdown of tyramine. This is an amino acid that helps regulate blood pressure and is in certain foods and drinks. So, if you’re using higher-strength selegiline patches, you may have to avoid food and drinks that contain tyramine. For example, you may have to avoid alcohol and aged meats and cheeses. But if you’re on a lower-dose patch, you might be able to continue your usual eating patterns.
Clonidine
Clonidine is an antihypertensive medication commonly used to lower blood pressure. It mostly works on the alpha-adrenergic receptors in your brain, which decreases blood pressure and heart rate. As a result, the arteries relax and allow for more blood flow to the heart.
Clonidine may also block some of these physical symptoms of anxiety disorders, like heart palpitations and sweating. Clonidine might also decrease anxiety for some people.
Are anxiety patches effective?
It’s not clear. There isn’t a lot of evidence yet on whether selegiline or clonidine patches are effective in treating anxiety.
There’s a small amount of evidence that selegiline patches are good for treating major depression. And it does so without causing as many side effects as other MAOIs. But scientists don’t know if selegiline patches are as effective for treating anxiety — though prescribers do sometimes prescribe them off-label for this purpose.
There also hasn’t been much research on clonidine patches yet. And there’s not enough evidence to show how well they work for anxiety disorders.
More research is needed before drawing any definitive conclusions.
Where do you put an anxiety patch?
Anxiety patches like selegiline and clonidine can be applied to the torso, upper thigh, or outer arm.
When applying a patch for anxiety, follow these steps:
Remove and discard the old patch if you are wearing one.
Wash the skin where you plan to apply the patch with soap and warm water, and dry it completely with a towel.
Open the patch, trying not to touch the sticky side that contains the medication.
Place the patch with the sticky side down on skin that is not hairy, damaged, or moist.
Wash your hands again after applying the patch to remove any medication that may have gotten on your hands.
It’s recommended to use a different part of your skin each time you change your patch. This will help prevent irritation.
If this medication is prescribed for daily use, try to apply the patch around the same time each day.
It’s important to read all of the instructions included with your medication before applying it. If you have any questions, contact your prescribing physician or pharmacist.
How to get anxiety patches
If you’re interested in learning more about patches for anxiety disorders, speak with your healthcare professional. You’ll need a prescription for these medications. And you can’t buy them over-the-counter (OTC).
If you have questions about whether a transdermal medication could work for you, talk to your primary care provider or psychiatrist. They can talk to you about your anxiety symptoms. And they can determine if anxiety patches — or another type of medication — are the best for you.
The bottom line
Selegiline and clonidine are two prescription anxiety medications available as patches. They’re not FDA-approved for treating anxiety disorders. But some healthcare professionals prescribe them off-label for this use.
More research is needed before we can say for sure how well anti-anxiety patches work. But if you’re interested in these medications, talk to your healthcare professional. They can help you understand the pros and cons of trying anti-anxiety patches to help treat your symptoms.
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References
Asnis, G. M., et al. (2014). EMSAM (deprenyl patch): How a promising antidepressant was underutilized. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.
Bodkin, J. A., et al. (2002). Transdermal selegiline in major depression: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study in outpatients. The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Chiu, S., et al. (2018). Clonidine for the treatment of psychiatric conditions and symptoms: A review of clinical effectiveness, safety, and guidelines. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health.
Fankhauser, M. P., et al. (1992). A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of transdermal clonidine in autism. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
Isaac, M., et al. (2012). Transdermal patches: The emerging mode of drug delivery system in psychiatry. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.
Laban, T. S., et al. (2023). Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI). StatPearls.
Lee, K. C., et al. (2007). Transdermal selegiline for the treatment of major depressive disorder. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.
MedlinePlus. (2016). Clonidine transdermal patch.
MedlinePlus. (2018). Selegiline transdermal patch.
Stahl, S. M. (2021). Clonidine. Prescriber’s Guide.
Stahl, S. M. (2021). Selegiline. Prescriber’s Guide.
