"i have generalized anxiety disorder. i had only been on buspar before and it gave me horrible side effects. what i find with vistaril is that it takes the edge off my anxiety, which means i can actually relax now sometimes the anxiety is not as chronic when i&#039;m on it. i can handle high-stress situations better now, too, because the medicine makes it manageable and diminishes the physical symptoms of anxiety. it&#039;s been especially helpful in combination with therapy. and no side effects! although it&#039;s not as effective when i start to feel panic symptoms, it has kept me from having full-blown panic attacks on multiple occasions."