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Overview of Diagnosis and Drug Treatments of Anxiety Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

David J. Nutt
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Abstract

Anxiety disorders are common and often disabling. They fall into five main categories: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, each of which have characteristic symptoms and cognitions. All anxiety disorders respond to drugs and psychological treatments. This review will focus on drug treatments. Recent research has emphasized the value of antidepressants especially the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and related sedative-like compounds. The common co-existence of depression with all of the anxiety disorders means that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are now generally considered to be the first-line treatments but the benzodiazepines have some utility especiaRy in promoting sleep and working acutely to reduce extreme distress.

Type
Review Article
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 49 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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