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Morbid Anxiety: Identification and Treatment
1Dr. Goddard is professor of psychiatry with the University of California, San Francisco, Fresno Medical Education and Research Program, Fresno.
Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)
|January 25, 2020
Summary
Anxiety disorders are a major public health issue, often underdiagnosed and undertreated despite available therapies. This review covers diagnostic updates, evidence-based treatments, and future directions for anxiety management.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Anxiety disorders represent a significant public health challenge due to their high prevalence and chronic nature.
- Despite established diagnostic criteria and effective treatments, many patients with anxiety disorders remain undiagnosed or undertreated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize current clinical knowledge on anxiety disorders.
- To highlight diagnostic changes introduced by the DSM-5.
- To review evidence-based treatments and explore emerging therapeutic strategies.
Main Methods:
- Clinical synthesis of existing literature.
- Review of diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines.
- Discussion of pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and novel treatment modalities.
Main Results:
- The DSM-5 introduced changes impacting anxiety disorder diagnosis.
- Evidence supports selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), benzodiazepines, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dynamic therapies.
- Emerging treatments include cognitive enhancement, complementary therapies, and neuromodulation.
Conclusions:
- Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of anxiety disorders require ongoing clinical attention.
- Future directions involve refining nosology through initiatives like the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) and advancing personalized medicine approaches.
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