That is definitely a valid concern you have regarding addiction. I struggled with a lot of the same concerns before I started exploring my options with my therapist and doctor. Anti-anxiety and any of those medicines that are used to treat chemical imbalances are taking your low base levels of a certain chemical and and raising it over time and raising it to acceptable levels that will help your overall mood and well-being. Just like with any kind of medication in general such as allergy medicine, ibuprofen, etc. your body may become used to the amount of the "good stuff" in your body. This would either lead to raising the dosage or going onto a new drug all together, this is a decision made between your and your "support team". As for withdrawals, side effects, and addiction this is entirely dependent on what medication your are on, if you choose to go the route of medication at all. There's some people who stutter who seek just therapy for anxiety paired with speech pathology/the self-help guide for the stutterer with positive results as well. Like I mentioned, my route of therapy combined with medication was my personal decision that I came to with the help of my doctor and therapist. Having those professionals on your team may take a bit of time to find ones that you feel truly comfortable with, but you are worth the investment in finding good partners on your side. I also found that re: medications [this](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-help/201111/anti-anxiety-medications-explained) guide from Psychology Today was really good for anxiety. :)