Your fav tablet xanax is a short term fix for anxiety. Most times used for a short period of time. Then your doctor would put you on a longer acting form of medication and take you back off the xanax.
Namsate,
Simply put, short term anti-anxiety medications are just that. They usually work quickly, but for a short period of time, whereas long term medications may take a bit longer to take effect but will remain in your system longer.
I believe this is what you were asking versus what medications should or could be taken long term or short term.
Michael(Jikan)