| Treatment for
the anxiety disorders should be tailored to the
individual patient and the specific disorder
present |
| | Physical causes of anxiety (eg,
hyperthyroidism) must be excluded by examination and
laboratory tests
|
| | Most anxiety disorders are best
treated with cognitive-behaviour therapies.
|
| | Drug therapies are not useful
for specific phobias (eg, arachnophobia), which
generally respond to behaviour therapy
|
| |
Among drug therapies, selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors may be the best choice, although the initial
effect may be to heighten anxiety. This can be
controlled with the use of a benzodiazepine at the start
of therapy.
|
| |
Benzodiazepines may be indicated
for use in generalised anxiety disorder -- the anxiety
disorder most commonly seen in general practice.
|
| Benzodiazepine therapy should not be continued in the long term because of the risk of dependence. Use courses of two to four weeks, with a tapering withdrawal of the drug, when necessary to control symptoms while psychological treatments are instituted.
|
