Simone Biles recently gave fans a candid peek inside her travel routine, unintentionally restarting an important conversation about mental health. In a lighthearted Instagram video, the legendary gymnast walked viewers through the contents of her brown Birkin bag packed for a trip to Singapore. Alongside everyday travel essentials (like her passport, a backup phone, a charger and a compact mirror) she pulled out something a bit more personal: emergency anxiety medication for flights. With her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, standing nearby, Biles casually noted that there was a story behind the prescription, though she kept the specific details and medication name private.
While the video was casual, the timing feels particularly meaningful. Biles, who typically guards her privacy closely, has recently had a surprisingly open stretch with her followers. In June, she shared that she needed a full week of rest following a health scare she described as nearly fatal, and later posted from a medical office ahead of an unspecified procedure in late July. While she hasn’t detailed those specific incidents, sharing her flight anxiety routine offers another relatable look into how she manages her well-being, continuing a transparent mental health dialogue she has championed for nearly a decade.
Does Simone Biles take anxiety medication?
Yes. Biles has spoken openly about her prescription since 2018. That year, she appeared on Good Morning America and told Robin Roberts she was “on anxiety medicine now” and in regular therapy. She framed the decision around processing abuse by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. She and hundreds of other athletes accused him of assault.
She has stayed consistent since then. At the 2024 Paris Games, Biles described anxiety severe enough to leave her shaking in the Olympic Village cafeteria. She has also compared psychiatric medication to an inhaler, arguing that people who need treatment should simply receive it.
Importantly, Biles has never publicly identified which drug she takes. Neither her team nor her physicians has released that information. Because of that, no outlet can responsibly name a specific prescription.
Her reticence looks deliberate. While promoting her Netflix docuseries in 2024, Biles said she keeps the details of her therapy sessions private. She explained that the space is hers and that what works for her may not work for someone else. That reasoning extends naturally to her prescription. Still, she has described anxiety medication as something she uses before or during flights. In other words, it is an as-needed prescription rather than a pill taken every morning.
How anxiety medication works
Doctors generally prescribe anxiety medication in two broad categories, and they behave very differently in the body.
The first category is daily maintenance treatment. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are the most common example. The Mayo Clinic notes that doctors frequently use SSRIs for anxiety disorders. The FDA approved them for depression. The class includes sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram. These drugs slow the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain. As a result, mood regulation gradually improves. However, they take four to six weeks to reach full effect. Therefore, they cannot help during a single stressful flight.
The second category is short-acting, as-needed medication, often abbreviated PRN. Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam, lorazepam, clonazepam and diazepam fall here. They amplify a calming brain chemical called GABA. Consequently, they can reduce acute panic within roughly 30 to 60 minutes. Doctors sometimes prescribe alternatives instead, including the antihistamine hydroxyzine or a beta-blocker like propranolol.
Scarlett Seyeon Kang is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and founder of CareStone Psychiatry & Wellness in Los Angeles. She told Blavity Health that the two categories do different jobs. Daily medications treat the underlying disorder over time, while as-needed options exist to reduce acute symptom spikes.
Kang described how she uses the short-acting kind. She said she prescribes PRN medication cautiously, as a temporary bridge while a first-line maintenance drug begins working. Then she reassesses frequently to confirm the patient needs it less over time, rather than relying on it long-term.
What patients get wrong
That timeline trips people up. Jessica Tate is a licensed clinical counselor and board-approved clinical supervisor. She serves as chief clinical and compliance officer at Milton Recovery Centers. Tate told Blavity Health that patients often arrive expecting the wrong thing. She said a common misconception is that anxiety medication should work immediately and remove all anxious feelings.
Tate added that the realistic goal is different. Some prescriptions take several weeks to reach full effect, and even then, they aim to make symptoms manageable rather than erase every uncomfortable emotion. She noted that medication tends to work best alongside therapy and practical coping skills.
Kang hears a different worry. In her practice, the most common misconception is that antidepressants will change a person’s personality. She explained that the aim is not to alter who someone is, but to reduce overwhelming symptoms so the person can think, function and respond more like themselves. If a medication instead causes emotional blunting, Kang treats that as a signal to adjust treatment. As she put it, the goal is stability rather than losing your identity.
Common side effects
Side effects vary widely by drug class and by person. Still, a few show up often enough that prescribers routinely warn patients about them upfront.
Sedation is the most predictable effect of benzodiazepines, which is partly why they calm acute panic so quickly. Mayo Clinic also lists sleepiness among the frequent side effects of SSRIs, particularly during the first few weeks. Consequently, doctors often advise patients to avoid driving until they know how a new prescription affects them.
Upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea are common with SSRIs. Mayo Clinic notes that many of these effects fade after the first few weeks. Some patients also report headaches, dry mouth, restlessness or trouble sleeping. Kang added one effect that surprises people most. She counsels patients that an SSRI can cause activation, or increased anxiety, during the earliest stretch of treatment. Reactions differ sharply between individuals. Therefore, a drug that works poorly for one person may work well for another.
Rare or serious side effects
The most significant warning applies to benzodiazepines. In September 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated the boxed warning across the entire class. The warning now covers abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence and withdrawal. According to the agency, physical dependence can develop within several days to weeks. That holds true even when patients take the drug exactly as prescribed. Stopping abruptly can then trigger withdrawal reactions, including seizures.
The FDA also warns that combining benzodiazepines with opioids, alcohol or other sedatives raises the risk of overdose and death. That warning is a major reason many prescribers reserve these medications for occasional, situational use rather than daily treatment.
Kang said the 2020 update reinforced four priorities in her practice: careful patient selection, the lowest effective dose, the shortest appropriate duration and a clear exit plan. She generally reserves benzodiazepines for severe acute anxiety or short-term bridging while a maintenance medication takes effect. When she does prescribe them, she reviews prescription monitoring data, discusses the risks upfront and plans a taper rather than letting the prescription continue indefinitely without reassessment.
SSRIs carry different risks. They are not habit-forming, according to Mayo Clinic. However, stopping them suddenly can cause discontinuation symptoms. Those include dizziness, irritability, flu-like aches and unusual sensations. Rarely, these drugs trigger serotonin syndrome. That medical emergency brings agitation, high fever, rapid heart rate and muscle rigidity. Additionally, antidepressants carry an FDA warning about increased suicidal thinking in patients under 25.
What to do if you notice symptoms
Do not stop a psychiatric prescription on your own. Instead, call the prescribing clinician. Describe exactly what you are experiencing and when it started. Many early side effects ease within a few weeks. Often, a dose adjustment or a switch within the same class resolves the problem.
If you and your doctor decide to discontinue, expect a gradual taper rather than an immediate stop. This applies to both SSRIs and benzodiazepines, though the risk of abrupt discontinuation is far more serious with the latter.
Tate laid out the signals that warrant a call before your next scheduled visit. Reach out if anxiety suddenly worsens, if side effects become hard to tolerate, or if you notice major changes in mood, behavior, sleep or thinking. She said patients should also call if they are taking more than prescribed or feel they cannot function safely.
A smaller set of symptoms cannot wait. Tate pointed to suicidal thoughts, severe confusion, a seizure, extreme sedation or trouble breathing as reasons to seek emergency help immediately. Meanwhile, keep an updated list of every drug and supplement you take. Interactions drive a large share of serious reactions.
Alternatives
Medication is one tool, not the only one. Cognitive behavioral therapy has strong evidence behind it for anxiety disorders, and exposure-based approaches work well for flight anxiety. Notably, Biles has said she pairs medication with regular therapy rather than treating either as a substitute for the other.
Both experts flagged the same diagnostic trap. Tate said the first step is determining whether a single trigger reflects a specific phobia or a broader anxiety pattern. Kang goes further, noting that she evaluates whether the apparent trigger is actually part of panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder or another condition requiring longer-term treatment. In other words, fear of flying may not be about flying at all.
Kang said treatment then depends on severity, impairment and whether a broader disorder exists. Some patients with isolated situational anxiety may be candidates for short-term, as-needed medication. Others benefit most from exposure therapy, which helps retrain the brain’s fear response.
Other non-drug options include structured breathing, mindfulness practice, consistent sleep and regular physical activity. Buspirone offers another daily option without the risk of dependence. However, it also requires several weeks to take effect.
Cultural fit matters too. Many Black patients report better outcomes with providers who understand their context. A growing group of Black mental health advocates has advanced that work. Black-owned mental health platforms can help narrow the search.
Are Olympians allowed to take anxiety meds?
Yes, in nearly every case. The World Anti-Doping Agency does not prohibit antidepressants, SSRIs, SNRIs or benzodiazepines. Evidence that they enhance athletic performance is insufficient.
Beta-blockers are the exception. WADA restricts them under category P1. That rule covers only a short list of precision disciplines where steadier hands offer an advantage. Per the American College of Cardiology, the list includes archery, shooting, darts, billiards and golf. Gymnastics does not appear on it.
When an athlete genuinely needs a banned substance, the therapeutic use exemption process permits it. Biles has already navigated that system. In 2016, hackers leaked WADA records showing she held a TUE for ADHD medicine. USA Gymnastics confirmed that she had filed the required paperwork and committed no violation. Biles then said publicly that she had taken ADHD medicine since childhood and had nothing to hide.
Bottom line
Simone Biles’ anxiety medication travels with her for flights, and she pairs it with weekly therapy. These prescriptions fall into two very different groups. The short-acting ones carry real risks of dependence, so medical supervision is essential. Talk to a clinician about which category fits your symptoms rather than borrowing a plan from a celebrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best anxiety medication for athletes?
There is no single best option, though doctors often favor SSRIs because they are not habit-forming and anti-doping rules do not restrict them.
How do I know if I need anxiety meds?
Consider talking to a clinician if anxiety regularly disrupts your sleep, work, relationships or daily routine.
Citations
Kang SS, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C. Founder, CareStone Psychiatry & Wellness. Interview with Blavity Health. August 2026. https://www.carestonepsychiatry.com/
Tate J, MS, LPCC-S, LCADC. Chief Clinical and Compliance Officer, Milton Recovery Centers. Interview with Blavity Health. July 2026. https://miltonrecovery.com/team-member/jessica-tate-ms-lpcc-s-lcadc/
Hendricks J. Simone Biles Reveals She Stores ‘Emergency’ Anxiety Medication in Her Bag. People. Published July 27, 2026. https://people.com/simone-biles-shows-off-anti-anxiety-medication-new-video-12027517
Mayo Clinic Staff. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/ssris/art-20044825
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA requiring Boxed Warning updated to improve safe use of benzodiazepine drug class. Published September 23, 2020. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-requiring-boxed-warning-updated-improve-safe-use-benzodiazepine-drug-class
National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety Disorders. NIMH. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Mental and Behavioral Health: Black/African Americans. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mental-and-behavioral-health-blackafrican-americans
Deaner H, et al. Cardiovascular Medications on the World Anti-Doping Agency List. American College of Cardiology. Published November 16, 2021. https://www.acc.org/Latest-in-Cardiology/Articles/2021/11/16/19/11/Cardiovascular-Medications-on-the-World-Anti-Doping-List
USA Gymnastics. USA Gymnastics statement regarding Simone Biles and WADA hack. Published September 13, 2016. https://usagym.org/usa-gymnastics-statement-regarding-simone-biles-and-wada-hack/
Verzeletti G, et al. Trends in Antidepressant, Anxiolytic, and Cannabinoid Use Among Italian Elite Athletes. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12298286/
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