[Change in the diagnosis and therapy of anxiety disorders. 2: Diagnostic procedure and therapy]

Since, apart from the clinical phenomena and personality traits, the life history, conflict dynamics, development and quality of inter-partner relationships, and the evolution of the physician/patient relationship can be of decisive importance in anxiety disorders, a multidimensional diagnostic approach and therapy is often required. In view of this complexity, attention is drawn to the various therapeutic and pharmacotherapeutic approaches and the possibilities of integrating them. An aim for the future will be to bring about a reduction in the more than 30% failures of therapy, and to shorten the chronic evolution of the disorder, which can often persist for 10 years and more.