[Behavior therapy and antidepressive drugs. What helps with anxiety?]

Up to 25% of patients seen in the doctor's office are suffering from some sort of anxiety disorder. In accordance with the ICD-10 classification, such disorders include panic disorders with or without agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorders, social phobia, specific phobia and mixed forms comprising anxiety and depression. Comorbidity with other anxiety disorders and depression is common. Symptoms reported by affected patients may suggest organic disease, which first must be excluded. All patients with severe persistent anxiety states require psychotherapeutic measures (cognitive behavioral treatment, exposure treatment). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the medication of first choice in anxiety disorders and comorbid depression.