Treatment of anxiety disorders

For you convenience,  additional information can be found by following the various links, as you may be more interested in anxiety disorders which you are treating in your practice.

FOR YOUR CLIENTS

How to Get Help for Anxiety Disorders

If you, or someone you know, have symptoms of anxiety, a visit to the family physician is usually the best place to start. A physician can help determine whether the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, some other medical condition, or both. Frequently, the next step in getting treatment for an anxiety disorder is referral to a mental health professional.

Among the professionals who can help are psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors. However, it's best to look for a professional who has specialized training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, as appropriate, and who is open to the use of medications, should they be needed.

As stated earlier, psychologists, social workers, and counselors sometimes work closely with a psychiatrist or other physician, who will prescribe medications when they are required. For some people, group therapy is a helpful part of treatment.

It's important that you feel comfortable with the therapy that the mental health professional suggests. If this is not the case, seek help elsewhere. However, if you've been taking medication, it's important not to discontinue it abruptly, as stated before. Certain drugs have to be tapered off under the supervision of your physician.

Remember, though, that when you find a health care professional that you're satisfied with, the two of you are working together as a team. Together you will be able to develop a plan to treat your anxiety disorder that may involve medications, cognitive-behavioral or other talk therapy, or both, as appropriate.

You may be concerned about paying for treatment for an anxiety disorder. If you belong to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or have some other kind of health insurance, the costs of your treatment may be fully or partially covered. There are also public mental health centers that charge people according to how much they are able to pay. If you are on public assistance, you may be able to get care through your state Medicaid plan.


Strategies to Make Treatment More Effective

Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking with trusted friends or a trusted member of the clergy can also be very helpful, although not a substitute for mental health care. Participating in an Internet chat room may also be of value in sharing concerns and decreasing a sense of isolation, but any advice received should be viewed with caution.

The family is of great importance in the recovery of a person with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive without helping to perpetuate the person's symptoms. If the family tends to trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment, the affected person will suffer. You may wish to show this booklet to your family and enlist their help as educated allies in your fight against your anxiety disorder.

Stress management techniques and meditation may help you to calm yourself and enhance the effects of therapy, although there is as yet no scientific evidence to support the value of these "wellness" approaches to recovery from anxiety disorders. There is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may be of value, and it is known that caffeine, illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can aggravate the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any additional medicines.

 


References

1Narrow WE, Rae DS, Regier DA. NIMH epidemiology note: prevalence of anxiety disorders. One-year prevalence best estimates calculated from ECA and NCS data. Population estimates based on U.S. Census estimated residential population age 18 to 54 on July 1, 1998. Unpublished.

2Robins LN, Regier DA, eds. Psychiatric disorders in America: the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study. New York: The Free Press, 1991.

3The NIMH Genetics Workgroup. Genetics and mental disorders. NIH Publication No. 98-4268. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health, 1998.

4Regier DA, Rae DS, Narrow WE, et al. Prevalence of anxiety disorders and their comorbidity with mood and addictive disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry Supplement, 1998; (34): 24-8.

5Kushner MG, Sher KJ, Beitman BD. The relation between alcohol problems and the anxiety disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1990; 147(6): 685-95.

6Wonderlich SA, Mitchell JE. Eating disorders and comorbidity: empirical, conceptual, and clinical implications. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 1997; 33(3): 381-90.

7Davidson JR. Trauma: the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2000; 14(2 Suppl 1): S5-S12.

8Margolin G, Gordis EB. The effects of family and community violence on children. Annual Review of Psychology, 2000; 51: 445-79.

9Yehuda R. Biological factors associated with susceptibility to posttraumatic stress disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 1999; 44(1): 34-9.

10Bourdon KH, Boyd JH, Rae DS, et al. Gender differences in phobias: results of the ECA community survey. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1988; 2: 227-41.

11Kendler KS, Walters EE, Truett KR, et al. A twin-family study of self-report symptoms of panic-phobia and somatization. Behavior Genetics, 1995; 25(6): 499-515.

12Boyd JH, Rae DS, Thompson JW, et al. Phobia: prevalence and risk factors. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1990; 25(6): 314-23.

13Kendler KS, Neale MC, Kessler RC, et al. Generalized anxiety disorder in women. A population-based twin study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1992; 49(4): 267-72.

14LeDoux J. Fear and the brain: where have we been, and where are we going? Biological Psychiatry, 1998; 44(12): 1229-38.

15Bremner JD, Randall P, Scott TM, et al. MRI-based measurement of hippocampal volume in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1995; 152: 973-81.

16Stein MB, Hanna C, Koverola C, et al. Structural brain changes in PTSD: does trauma alter neuroanatomy? In: Yehuda R, McFarlane AC, eds. Psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 821. New York: The New York Academy of Sciences, 1997.

17Rauch SL, Savage CR. Neuroimaging and neuropsychology of the striatum. Bridging basic science and clinical practice. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 1997; 20(4): 741-68.

18Gould E, Reeves AJ, Fallah M, et al. Hippocampal neurogenesis in adult Old World primates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 1999, 96(9): 5263-7.

19Hyman SE, Rudorfer MV. Anxiety disorders. In: Dale DC, Federman DD, eds. Scientific American® Medicine. Volume 3. New York: Healtheon/WebMD Corp., 2000, Sect. 13, Subsect. VIII.


This brochure is a revision by Mary Lynn Hendrix of an earlier version written by Marilyn Dickey.

Scientific information and/or review for this revision were provided by Steven E. Hyman, M.D., Richard Nakamura, Ph.D., Matthew Rudorfer, M.D., Linda Street, Ph.D., and Elaine Baldwin, all of NIMH, and Una McCann, M.D., now of The Johns Hopkins University. Editorial assistance was provided by Clarissa Wittenberg, Margaret Strock, and Melissa Spearing of NIMH.

All material in this publication is in the public domain and may be copied or reproduced without permission of the Institute. Citation of the source is appreciated.

Updated: June 22, 2001

 

 

From The Surgeon General’s Report Chapter 4 Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

The anxiety disorders are treated with some form of counseling or psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, either singly or in combination (Barlow & Lehman, 1996; March et al., 1997; American Psychiatric Association, 1998; Kent et al., 1998).

Counseling and Psychotherapy
Anxiety disorders are responsive to counseling and to a wide variety of psychotherapies. More severe and persistent symptoms also may require pharmacotherapy (American Psychiatric Association, 1998).

During the past several decades, there has been increasing enthusiasm for more focused, time-limited therapies that address ways of coping with anxiety symptoms more directly rather than exploring unconscious conflicts or other personal vulnerabilities (Barlow & Lehman, 1996). These therapies typically emphasize cognitive and behavioral assessment and interventions.

The hallmarks of cognitive-behavioral therapies are evaluating apparent cause and effect relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, as well as implementing relatively straightforward strategies to lessen symptoms and reduce avoidant behavior (Barlow, 1988). A critical element of therapy is to increase exposure to the stimuli or situations that provoke anxiety. Without such therapeutic assistance, the sufferer typically withdraws from anxiety-inducing situations, inadvertently reinforcing avoidant or escape behavior.

The therapist provides reassurance that the feared situation is not deadly and introduces a plan to enhance mastery. This plan may include approaching the feared situation in a graduated or stepwise hierarchy or teaching the patient to use responses that dampen anxiety, such as deep muscle relaxation or coping. One fundamental principle is that prolonged exposure to a feared stimulus reliably decreases cognitive and physiologic symptoms of anxiety (Marks, 1969; Barlow, 1988). With such experience generally comes greater self-efficacy and a greater willingness to encounter other feared stimuli. For panic disorder, interoceptive training (a type of conditioning technique) and breathing exercises are often employed to help the sufferer become more capable of recognizing and coping with the social cues, antecedents, or early signs of a panic attack. Cognitive interventions are used to counteract the exaggerated or catastrophic thoughts that characterize anxiety. For treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, the strategy of response prevention must be added to exposure to ensure that compulsions are not performed (Barlow, 1988).

There is now extensive evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapies are useful treatments for a majority of patients with anxiety disorders (Chambless et al., 1998). Poorer outcomes are observed, however, in more complicated patient groups. With obsessive-compulsive disorder, approximately 20 to 25 percent of patients are unwilling to participate in therapy (March et al., 1997). Another major limitation of cognitive-behavioral therapies is not their effectiveness but, rather, the limited availability of skilled practitioners (Ballenger et al., 1998).

It is possible that more traditional forms of therapy based on psychodynamic or interpersonal theories of anxiety also may prove to be effective treatments (Shear, 1995). However, these therapies have not yet received extensive empirical support. As a result, more traditional therapies are generally de-emphasized in evidence-based treatment guidelines for anxiety disorders.

Pharmacotherapy
The medications typically used to treat patients with anxiety disorders are benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and the novel compound buspirone (Lydiard et al., 1996). In light of increasing awareness of numerous neurochemical alterations in anxiety disorders, many new classes of drugs are likely to be developed, expressly targeting CRH and other neuroactive agents (Nemeroff, 1998).

Benzodiazepines
The benzodiazepines are a large class of relatively safe and widely prescribed medications that have rapid and profound antianxiety and sedative-hypnotic effects. The benzodiazepines are thought to exert their therapeutic effects by enhancing the inhibitory neurotransmitter systems utilizing GABA. Benzodiazepines bind to a site on the GABA receptor and act as receptor agonists (Perry et al., 1997). Benzodiazepines differ in terms of potency, pharmacokinetics (i.e., elimination half-life), and lipid solubility.

The four benzodiazepines currently widely prescribed for treatment of anxiety disorders are diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and alprazolam. Each is now available in generic formulations (Davidson, 1998). Among these agents, alprazolam and lorazepam have shorter elimination half-lives—that is, are removed from the body more quickly—while diazepam and clonazepam have a long period of action (i.e., up to 24 hours). Diazepam also has multiple active metabolites, which increase the risk of “carryover” effects such as sedation and “hangover.” Benzodiazepines that undergo conjugation appear to have longer elimination time in women, and oral contraceptive can decrease clearance (Dawlans, 1995). Since Asians are more likely to metabolize diazepam more slowly, they may require lower doses to achieve the same blood concentrations as Caucasians (Lin et al., 1997).

Benzodiazepines have the potential for producing drug dependence (i.e., physiological or behavioral symptoms after discontinuation of use). Shorter acting compounds have somewhat greater liability because of more rapid and abrupt onset of withdrawal symptoms.

Because the benzodiazepines do not have strong antiobsessional effects, their use in obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder is generally viewed as palliative (i.e., relieving, but not eliminating symptoms). Rather, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder are more effectively treated by antidepressants, especially the SSRIs (as discussed below). When effective, benzodiazepines should be tapered after several months of use, although there is a substantial risk of relapse. Many clinicians favor a combined treatment approach for panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, in which benzodiazepines are used acutely in tandem with an antidepressant. The benzodiazepines are subsequently tapered as the antidepressant’s therapeutic effects begin to emerge (American Psychiatric Association, 1998).

Antidepressants
Most antidepressant medications have substantial antianxiety and antipanic effects in addition to their antidepressant action (Kent et al., 1998). Moreover, a large number of antidepressants have antiobsessional effects (Perry et al., 1997). The observation that the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine had a different anxiolytic profile than diazepam helped to differentiate panic disorder from generalized anxiety disorder and, subsequently, social phobia.

Clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) with relatively potent reuptake inhibitory effects on serotonin (5-HT) neurons, subsequently was found to be the only TCA to have specific antiobsessional effects (March et al., 1997). The importance of this effect on 5-HT was highlighted when the SSRIs became available. By the late 1990s, it became clear that all of the SSRIs have antiobsessional effects (Greist et al., 1995; Kent et al., 1998).

Current practice guidelines rank the TCAs below the SSRIs for treatment of anxiety disorders because of the SSRIs’ more favorable tolerability and safety profiles (March et al., 1997; American Psychiatric Association, 1998; Ballenger et al., 1998). Nevertheless, there are patients who respond to the TCAs after failing to respond to one or more of the newer agents. Similarly, although relatively rarely used, the monoamine oxidate inhibitors (MAOIs) have significant antiobsessional, antipanic, and anxiolytic effects (Sheehan et al., 1980; American Psychiatric Association, 1998). In the United States, the MAOIs phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and isocarboxazid (which has not been consistently marketed this decade) are seldom used unless simpler medication strategies have failed (American Psychiatric Association, 1998).

The five drugs within the SSRI class—fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, and citalopram—have emerged as the preferred type of antidepressant for treatment of anxiety disorders (Westenberg, 1996; Kent et al., 1998). In addition to well-established efficacy in obsessive-compulsive disorder, there is convincing and growing evidence of antipanic and broader anxiolytic effects (American Psychiatric Association, 1998; Kent et al., 1998). Treatment of panic disorder often requires lower initial doses and slower upward titration. By contrast, treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder ultimately may entail higher doses (for example, 60 or 80 mg/day of fluoxetine or 200 mg per day of sertraline) and longer durations to achieve desired outcomes (March et al., 1997). As all of the SSRIs are currently protected by patents, there are no generic forms yet available. This adds to the direct costs of treatment. Cost may be offset indirectly, however, by virtue of need for fewer treatment visits and fewer concomitant medications, and cost likely will abate when these agents begin to lose patent protection in a few years.

Other newer antidepressants, including venlafaxine, nefazodone, and mirtazapine, also may have significant antianxiety effects, for which clinical trials are under way (March et al., 1997; American Psychiatric Association, 1998). Paroxetine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for social phobia, and sertraline is being developed for post-traumatic stress disorder. Nefazodone, which also is being studied in post-traumatic stress disorder, and mirtazapine may possess lower levels of sexual side effects, a problem that complicates longer term treatment with SSRIs, venlafaxine, TCAs, and MAOIs (Baldwin & Birtwistle, 1998).

When effective in treating anxiety, antidepressants should be maintained for at least 4 to 6 months, then tapered slowly to avoid discontinuation-emergent activation of anxiety symptoms (March et al., 1997; American Psychiatric Association, 1998; Ballenger et al., 1998). Although less extensively researched than depression, it is likely that many patients with anxiety disorders may warrant longer term, indefinite treatment to prevent relapse or chronicity.

Buspirone
This azopyrine compound is a relatively selective 5- HT1A partial agonist (Stahl, 1996). It was approved by the FDA in the mid-1980s as an anxiolytic. However, unlike the benzodiazepines, buspirone is not habit forming and has no abuse potential. Buspirone also has a safety profile comparable to the SSRIs, and it is significantly better tolerated than the TCAs.

Buspirone does not block panic attacks, and it is not efficacious as a primary treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (Stahl, 1996). Buspirone is most useful for treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, and it is now frequently used as an adjunct to SSRIs (Lydiard et al., 1996). Buspirone takes 4 to 6 weeks to exert therapeutic effects, like antidepressants, and it has little value for patients when taken on an “as needed” basis.

Combinations of Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy
Some patients with anxiety disorders may benefit from both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy treatment modalities, either combined or used in sequence (March et al., 1997; American Psychiatric Association, 1998). Drawing from the experiences of depression researchers, it seems likely that such combinations are not uniformly necessary and are probably more cost-effective when reserved for patients with more complex, complicated, severe, or comorbid disorders. The benefits of multimodal therapies for anxiety need further study.


2 Anxiety is one of the few mental disorders for which animal models have been developed. Researchers can reproduce some
of the symptoms of human anxiety in animals by introducing different types of stressors, either physical or psychosocial.

3 Hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, and then the cortex, or outer layer, of the adrenal gland. Upon stimulation by the pituitary hormone ACTH, the adrenal cortex releases glucocorticoids into the circulation.

4 Also known as coriocotropin-releasing factor.

5 CRH may act as a neuromodulator, a neurotransmitter, or a neurohormone, depending on the pathway.

 

Treating Specific Anxiety Disorders and Specific Treatment Modalities.  

NIMH ON PANIC DISORDERS
Information for Health Care Professionals


Three million American adults--at least one in 63--have or will have panic disorder. Most of them will develop it in their late teens or early to mid twenties. Each year, panic disorder strikes more people than stroke, epilepsy, or AIDS. Its symptoms can mimic serious physical disorders such as myocardial infarction, so that when not properly diagnosed, panic disorder can result in needless, repetitious, and expensive work-ups.


Panic Disorder Is Real

Panic disorder is a chronic, relapsing, often debilitating condition that can have devastating effects on a person's work, family, and social interactions. Because its symptoms may mimic a variety of medical conditions, panic disorder frequently goes undiagnosed. It is not uncommon for people with panic disorder to see as many as 10 different doctors, undergo many unnecessary tests, and suffer for years before obtaining a correct diagnosis.

The good news is that, once diagnosed, panic disorder is highly treatable. In fact, appropriate treatment can reduce or completely prevent panic attacks in 70 to 90 percent of patients--particularly when panic disorder is recognized early. Even if patients relapse, recurrent attacks can be treated effectively. Tragically, today just one in three people with panic disorder receives appropriate treatment.


Panic Disorder Symptoms

Panic disorder is characterized by panic attacks--acute episodes of terror accompanied by a sudden barrage of symptoms, including at least four of the following:

  • Racing or pounding heartbeat
  • Chest pains
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Flushes or chills
  • Sweating
  • Tingling or numbness in the hands
  • Dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions
  • Fear of losing control and doing something embarrassing
  • Fear of dying
  • Sense of impending doom

Panic attacks typically occur spontaneously, with no apparent trigger. In fact, they can even begin during sleep. Attacks usually last for a few minutes--rarely longer--yet they often feel like an eternity for the patient.

All too often, patients with panic disorder experience such extreme distress that they present repeatedly to emergency departments or other health care professionals. With each panic attack, they may fear they are dying from a heart attack, or suffering from a respiratory problem, neurological disorder, or gastrointestinal condition. They may also fear that they are losing control or becoming psychotic.

When a person has repeated panic attacks and feels severe anxiety about having another attack, he or she has panic disorder. Panic disorder tends to worsen over time if not effectively treated.


Proper Diagnosis Is Critical

The criteria noted above should distinguish panic disorder from everyday anxiety and stress. To help confirm a panic disorder diagnosis, consider the following approach:

  • To differentiate panic disorder from other medically important conditions, the patient should, of course, have a thorough physical examination. Panic disorder symptoms mimic other conditions, such as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, hyperthyroidism, and certain types of epilepsy.
  • It is important to probe the emotional components of the patient's symptoms. Patients may focus on only one or two symptoms as they describe the attacks to you, concentrating only on their physical sensations and not on the fears they experience. By asking patients to describe their feelings about the attacks, you may be able to more quickly identify panic disorder. You will also be more likely to identify depression or other concurrent conditions that should be considered in the treatment plan.
  • It can be constructive to probe for environmental factors that trigger panic attacks in some people. For example, in susceptible persons, attacks may occur during or within 6 months of such stressful life events as the death of a loved one, divorce, geographic relocation, childbirth, or surgery. Panic attacks can also be triggered by large doses of caffeine, some cold medicines, and cocaine and marijuana. If someone has a substance abuse problem, it will have to be treated before panic disorder can be addressed effectively.

Panic Disorder Can Seriously Harm Your Patients

Even though panic attacks do not represent an immediate danger to the life of the patient, panic disorder can have far more harmful consequences than many other serious medical conditions:

  • Many people with panic disorder develop fears about situations they associate with panic attacks and begin to avoid them. Their lives become an ordeal of chronic fear, and they may become greatly restricted in their ability to carry out normal activities like grocery shopping, traveling, and even leaving home--a condition known as agoraphobia.
  • Panic disorder can radically impair family, work, and social relationships. Patients may lose their jobs and independence.
  • People with panic disorder may also suffer from clinical depression, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or irritable bowel syndrome. According to one study, 20 percent of people with panic disorder attempt suicide.
  • Apart from the suffering experienced by the patient, untreated panic disorder is costly to both the patient and the medical system as a whole--because of repeated visits to doctors and emergency departments and unnecessary medical tests.

Causes Of Panic Disorder

Research suggests that panic disorder has both biological and psychological components, which interact. Family and twin studies indicate that panic disorder involves some genetic vulnerability.

Recent studies suggest that people with panic disorder have a low tolerance for the body's normal physiological and psychological response to stress; their body's alarm response goes off with little or no provocation. The hypothesis that panic disorder patients may have learned to perceive essentially normal physiological events as being dangerous may help in understanding the lowered stress response threshold, giving rise to a "false alarm." Some researchers theorize that the disturbance in coping mechanisms is a product of repeated life stresses in predisposed individuals, leading eventually to panic disorder. Research also suggests that people with panic disorder may not be able to utilize the body's own naturally produced anxiety-reducing substances. It may be that the neuronal receptors that bind with these substances are abnormal in people with panic disorder.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supports research and education on the causes of panic disorder as well as its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. NIMH scientists and grantees are studying panic disorder in both animals and humans, searching for possible genetic causes, probing for brain and biochemical abnormalities, and examining cognitive factors that may contribute to the condition.


Treatment Methods

According to a panel of experts convened in 1991 by the National Institutes of Health and NIMH, panic disorder can be treated effectively with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), pharmacological therapy, and possibly a combination of CBT and medication. Patients generally begin to respond quickly to appropriate treatment. However, some treatments may work better than others for certain patients. So, it is important to monitor the response to treatment closely and reassess the treatment strategy if there is no improvement after 6 to 8 weeks.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

CBT teaches patients to anticipate the situations and bodily sensations that are associated with their panic attacks. This awareness sets the stage for helping the patient to control the attacks. Specially trained therapists tailor CBT to the specific needs of each patient. The therapy usually includes the following components:

  • Helping patients identify and change patterns of thinking that cause them to misperceive commonplace events or situations as dangerous and to "think the worst." Patients often are unaware of how deeply these anxiety-raising thoughts are ingrained.
  • Teaching patients exercises to prevent the hyperventilation that often triggers a panic attack. The exercises also help the patient to replace alarmist thoughts such as, "I'm dying," with more appropriate ones, such as, "I'm just hyperventilating--I can handle this."
  • Helping patients become less fearful by safely and gradually exposing them to situations and physical sensations they avoid or find frightening.

CBT is a short-term treatment, typically lasting 12 to 15 sessions over several months. Patients with panic disorder who go through CBT are reported to have very few adverse effects and a relatively low relapse rate of panic attacks.

CBT requires special training. If you decide to refer your patients for cognitive-behavioral therapy, check to see if the professional has the requisite training and experience in this method of panic disorder treatment.

Medication

Several classes of medication can reduce or prevent panic attacks and therefore substantially decrease patients' anticipatory anxiety about having attacks. The medications most often used are:

  • Antidepressants, including tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors
  • Certain high-potency benzodiazepines

Each of these classes of medications works differently and has different side effects. The latest information about the pharmacotherapy of panic and related disorders is available in clinical handbooks of psychotherapeutic medications. For most of these medications, treatment lasts 6 months to a year. With all of them, proper dosing and monitoring is essential.

The practitioner who administers medication for panic disorder should be well versed in the clinical use of the relevant psychotherapeutic medications. It is important to start with a low dose and increase it gradually. Build up to the recommended dosage for the particular medication you are prescribing, watching for troublesome side effects as well as for a decrease in panic attacks. The goal should be to stop the panic attacks. Make sure the patient is maintained on a dose that is in the therapeutic range. When withdrawing medication, reduce the dosage gradually, and watch for possible relapse. To improve compliance, it is important to educate the patient about the medication and its side effects.

Combining CBT and Medication

A combination of CBT and pharmacotherapy may offer rapid relief, high effectiveness, and a low relapse rate. The combination may be particularly helpful for patients with agoraphobia. NIMH is conducting a large study evaluating the effectiveness of combining these treatments.


Who Can Treat Panic Disorder?

Panic disorder patients can be treated by mental health professionals or by primary health care providers.

If you wish to refer your patients to a mental health professional, it is vital that this person have adequate training and experience in treating people with panic disorder.


How To Talk To Your Patients About Panic Disorder

Many panic disorder patients are reluctant to seek treatment or have been frustrated by previous encounters with health care professionals. You can play a crucial role in motivating these people to get treatment. Here are some suggestions for communicating with anyone who has panic disorder.

Acknowledge

It helps to acknowledge the seriousness of panic disorder. Often, people trivialize this condition. Your recognition that it is real and serious can persuade patients to seek treatment and begin returning their lives to normalcy.

In offering comfort to your patients, it is important to avoid statements that may be interpreted as dismissive--"It's nothing to worry about," or "It's just stress," for example. Patients need to hear words that reflect the gravity of the disorder. Many professionals who have treated panic disorder have found patients receptive to the following explanation. "You have a condition that can be treated--panic disorder. Without treatment, it can grow worse. You need professional help to overcome it, just as you would for any serious medical illness."

Also, many people feel their condition is their own fault. By telling them that the disorder has both psychological and biological components, you can reassure your patients that they are not to blame for the condition.

Educate

Knowing more about panic disorder can help people overcome their fear, embarrassment, or skepticism about treatment. For example, your patients may benefit from hearing that millions of people have panic disorder--in fact, one out of 63 people has, or will have, it.

Point out that treatment can make a significant difference in their lives--in just weeks or months--and explain the various treatment options. Make the patient an active, fully informed participant in the treatment planning process.

If you encounter patients who have been unsuccessfully treated for panic disorder before, you can tell them that even when one treatment fails, another often succeeds.

Encourage

Finally, encourage your patients to seek more information about panic disorder. Give them literature about the condition or tell them they can get publications on Panic Disorder from NIMH by calling 1-800-64-PANIC. You may also want to suggest that your patients join self-help groups.


References

"Treatment of Panic Disorder." National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Consensus Statement, 1991. September 25-27, 9(2).

Katon, W. "Panic Disorder in the Medical Setting." NIH Pub. No. 93-3482. Washington, DC: Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1993.

Weissman, M.M., et al. "Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts in Panic Disorder and Attacks." N Engl J Med. 321(18):1209-1214, 1989.

NIMH wishes to extend its appreciation to the numerous mental health professionals, primary care professionals, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, gynecologists, emergency service professionals, and patients who reviewed this pamphlet.

Panic Disorder. It's real. It's treatable.

National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health

NIH Publication No. 94-3642
Printed 1994

 

Posted: June 01, 1999

 

 

 

 Treatment Interventions for PTSD

Coping with Traumatic Stress and PTSD Symptoms NIMH Fact Sheets

 Positive Coping Actions are those which help to reduce anxiety, lessen other distressing reactions, and improve the situation in a way that does not harm the survivor further and which improves things not only today, but tomorrow and later. Positive coping methods can include:

Using natural supports and to talk with those one is comfortable with - friends, family, co-workers - at your own pace. Following one's own natural inclination with regard to how much and to whom you talk is usually best for the majority of people.
Learning about trauma and PTSD. It is useful to for trauma
survivors to learn more about trauma and PTSD and how it may affect them. For those with PTSD, by learning just how common PTSD is, and finding that their problems are shared by hundreds of thousands of survivors of trauma, they can better recognize that they're not alone, not weak, and not "crazy." When a survivor seeks treatment and learns to recognize and understand what is triggering him or her, he or she is in a better position to cope with the symptoms of PTSD. If the survivor wishes, he or she can tackle the source of the problem or tell another person specifically what is happening.
Talking to other trauma survivors for support. When survivors are able to talk about their problems with others, something helpful often results. Seeking out support from other trauma survivors, the survivor of trauma may feel less alone, feel supported or understood, or receive concrete help with a problem situation. One of the best places to find support is in a specially-designed "support group." Being in a group with other survivors of trauma with PTSD may help a trauma survivor reduce sense of isolation, rebuild trust in others, and provide an important opportunity to contribute to the recovery of other survivors of trauma.

Talking to a doctor about trauma and PTSD. Part of taking care of oneself means mobilizing the helping resources around one. A doctor can take care of physical health better if he or she knows about PTSD symptoms, and doctors can often refer trauma survivors for more specialized and expert help.

Practicing relaxation methods. These can include muscular relaxation exercises, breathing exercises, meditation, swimming, stretching, yoga, prayer, listening to quiet music, spending time in nature, and so on. While relaxation techniques can be helpful, they can sometimes increase distress by focusing attention on disturbing physical sensations or reducing contact with the external environment. Be aware that while physical sensations may become more apparent when a person is relaxed, continuing with relaxation in a way that is tolerable (i.e., interspersed with music, walking, or other activities) is, in the long run, helpful in reducing negative reactions to internal thoughts, feelings, or perceptions.

Increasing positive distracting activities. Positive recreational or work activities help distract a person from his or her memories and reactions. Artistic endeavors have also been a way for many trauma survivors to express inner feelings in a positive, creative way. This can be helpful as a means of improving mood, limiting the harm caused by PTSD, and rebuilding a life. It is important to emphasize that distraction alone is unlikely to facilitate recovery; active direct coping with traumatic events and their impact is also important.

Calling a counselor for help. Sometimes PTSD symptoms worsen and ordinary efforts at coping don't seem to work too well. The survivor of trauma may feel fearful or depressed. At these times, it is important to reach out and telephone a counselor, who can help the survivor of trauma turn things around

Taking prescribed medications to tackle PTSD. One tool that many survivors of trauma with PTSD have found helpful is medication treatment in partnership with their doctor. By taking medications, some survivors of trauma are able to improve their sleep, anxiety, irritability and anger, or urges to drink or use.

Starting an exercise program. It's important to see a doctor before starting to exercise, but after getting the OK, exercise in moderation has a number of possible benefits for those with PTSD. Walking, jogging, swimming, weight lifting, and other forms of exercise may reduce physical tension. They may help distract the person from painful memories or worries, and thus give them a break from difficult emotions.  Perhaps most important, they can improve self-esteem and create feelings of personal control.

Starting to volunteer in the community. It’s important to feel like you’ve got something to offer to others, that you’re making a contribution. When you’re not working, it can be hard to get this feeling. One way that many survivors of trauma have reconnected with their communities and regained a feeling of contribution is to volunteer – to help with youth programs, medical services, literacy programs, community sporting activities, and so on.

Negative Coping Actions help to perpetuate problems. They may reduce distress immediately, but short-circuit more permanent change. Actions that may be immediately effective but cause later problems can be addictive, like smoking or drug use. These habits can become difficult to change. Negative coping methods can include isolation, use of drugs or alcohol, "workaholism," violent behavior, angry intimidation of others, eating, and different types of self-destructive behavior (e.g., attempting suicide). Before learning more effective and healthy coping, most people with PTSD may try to cope with their distress and other reactions in ways that lead to more problems.

Practice lifestyle balance

This will include attention to die, stress management, exercise and rest.

 

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

 

Simone was having trouble getting out the door in the morning.  What had started with rewashing her teacup before drinking out of it had developed into a complex ritual of washing rewashing checking and double-checking all her doors and windows and dishes she might use for dinner.  She had been under increasing stress at work and her significant relationship had recently ended.  The therapist she was working with suggested that she consult a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation.  The therapist then consulted with the psychiatrist a local expert with OCD regarding the development of these repetitive behaviors.  There was a history of “eccentricity”  in Simone’s family, which revolved around compulsive behaviors.  With medication and a cognitive behavioral approach the therapists and Simone were able to manage the anxiety and decrease the compulsive behaviors.

 

Many people develop small ritual actions that help them ground themselves, stay centered and focused and make the day feel like it is getting off to a good start.  For the individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder these rituals dominate their existence and they often can’t move beyond these rituals or participate fully in their lives.

 

For a thorough discussion the treatment of OCD please read http://www.psychguides.com/oche.html

 

For a screening tool for OCD please visit

http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf1070a.htm

 

For support, information and professional training opportunities in working with OCD please visit

http://www.ocfoundation.org/

 

For a summary of what has been covered and future directions in the treatment of anxiety disorders, please read from the following article

Anxiety Disorders:
Future Directions for Research and Treatment

A Discussion Paper

Prepared by:

Martin M. Antony, Ph.D., C.Psych.
and Richard P. Swinson, MD, FRCP(C)
Anxiety Disorders Clinic, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry
and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

For:
Health Canada
1996

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

Executive Summary

Chapter 1
Introduction

1. Target Audience

2. Methodology

3. Organization of the Report

Chapter 2
Overview of the Anxiety Disorders

1. What are the Anxiety Disorders?

a. Panic Disorder with (PDA) and without (PD) Agoraphobia
b. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
c. Social Phobia
d. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
e. Specific Phobia
f. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

2. Prevalence of the Anxiety Disorders

3. Comorbidity

4. Risk Factors

5. Health Care Utilization and Economic Costs

Chapter 3
Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

1. Types of Interventions

2. Pharmacological vs. Psychological Treatments

3. Treatment Considerations

a. Possible Side Effects of Medications
b. Appropriateness of Treatment

4. Research Findings: Effective Treatments for the Anxiety Disorders

a. Panic Disorder with (PDA) and without (PD) Agoraphobia
b. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
c. Social Phobia
d. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
e. Specific Phobia
f. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Chapter 4
Potential Directions for Future Research, Professional Care, and Professional and Public Education

1. Gaps in the Research Literature

i. Adequacy of Treatment Delivery
ii. Outcome and Other Measurement Issues
iii. Assessment Instruments

2. Methodological Limitations of Treatment Studies of Specific Anxiety Disorders

i. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
ii. Specific Phobia
iii. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
iv. Social Phobia
v. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

3. Potential Directions for Future Research

4. Other Implications flowing from the Review of the Evidence-Based Anxiety Treatment Literature

References

Appendix 1
Lifetime Prevalence of the Anxiety Disorders (%)

Appendix 2
Glossary of Medications
Glossary of Abbreviations
Glossary of Technical Terms

Appendix 3
Useful References Relating to the Assessment of Anxiety Disorders

 

Our mission is to help the people of Canada
maintain and improve their health.
Health Canada

Additional copies are available from:

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Fax.: (613) 941-5366

Permission is granted for non-commercial reproduction related to educational or clinical purposes. Please acknowledge the source.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of Health Canada.

Également disponible en français sous le titre
Les troubles anxieux : Orientations futures de la recherche et du traitement - Document de travail

© Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1996

ISBN 0-662-24980-1
Cat. No. H39-388/2-1996E

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Antony, Martin M. (Martin Mitchell)

Main entry under title:
Anxiety Disorders: Future Directions for Research and Treatment: A Discussion Paper.

Issued also in French under title:
Les troubles anxieux : Orientations futures de la recherche et du traitement - Document de travail.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-662-24980-1
Cat. No. H39-388/2-1996E

1. Anxiety.
2. Anxiety — Treatment.
3. Anxiety — Canada.
I. Swinson, Richard.
II. Canada. Health Promotion and Programs Branch
III. Title.

RC531.A57 1996 616.85’2206 C96-980342-7

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM NIMH

 


For More Information

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 8184, MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
Toll-free information services:
    Anxiety Disorders: 1-88-88-ANXIETY
    Depression: 1-800-421-4211
    General inquiries: (301) 443-4513
TTY: (301) 443-8431
E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov
Web site: www.nimh.nih.gov

Anxiety Disorders Association of America
11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20852-2624
(301) 231-9350
www.adaa.org

Freedom from Fear
308 Seaview Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
(718) 351-1717
www.freedomfromfear.com   

Obsessive Compulsive (OC) Foundation
337 Notch Hill Road
North Branford, CT 06471
(203) 315-2190
www.ocfoundation.org

American Psychiatric Association
1400 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 682-6220
www.psych.org

American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5500
www.apa.org

Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy
305 7th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
(212) 647-1890
www.aabt.org

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Colonial Place Three
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201
1-800-950-NAMI (-6264)
www.nami.org

 

National Mental Health Association
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
1-800-969-NMHA (-6642)
www.nmha.org

 

National Center for PTSD
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
116D VA Medical and Regional Office Center
215 N. Main St.
White River Junction, VT 05009
(802) 296-5132
E-mail: ptsd@dartmouth.edu
Web site: www.ncptsd.org

 

|


For Information About Clinical Trials

NIMH Clinical Trials Web Page
www.nimh.nih.gov/studies/index.cfm

National Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials Database
www.clinicaltrials.gov

 

Thank you for joining us in this course.  We hope it was helpful for you and your clients.  We thank you for all your work with all of those coping with these challenges.

 

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