Drug therapy Many drugs can prevent or greatly reduce anticipatory anxiety, phobic avoidance, and the number and intensity of panic attacks: Antidepressants: The different classes— selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrinereuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), serotonin modulators, tricyclics (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) —are similarly effective.