Which is better for someone with severe anxiety that effects thir entire life. xanax (alprazolam) or ativan? which would help most.

For severe anxiety: I would not be relying only on pharmaceuticals, but would also want to work on the specific anxieties the patient has. Cognitive therapy, mindfulness meditation, dynamic psychotherapies, all help the person learn about his/her own triggers and ways of dealing with them. Ssri antidepressants seem better at preventing panic attacks than episodic benzodiazepines (whether using xanax (alprazolam) or ativan).