Guidelines for the treatment of anxiety disorders in family medicine

Abstract:

A modern, hectic lifestyle poses a number of challenges to each individual that become the source of the stress which most often causes anxiety as one of the most common reactions to stress, and leads to an increased risk of developing anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders, along with depression, are among the most common mental disorders in family medicine. It is therefore necessary to know the criteria for diagnosing an anxiety disorder and the guidelines for treatment, especially the methods of treatment that can be applied in family medicine, as well as the criteria for consulting a psychiatrist. Not every anxiety is an anxiety disorder, and the role of a family doctor is to identify patients who are at risk of developing an anxiety disorder in a timely manner and to act preventively and treat disorders with a milder clinical presentation. In everyday work, it is desirable to use structured questionnaires in diagnosis, as well as guidelines for pharmacological treatment and treatment with low-intensity psychosocial interventions, such as breathing exercises and relaxation methods, as well as supportive psychotherapeutic approach for which the family physician is trained during residency. In the case of severe, complicated cases that do not respond to the treatment recommended by the family doctor, the patient should be referred to a psychiatrist.

 

 

Key words:
anxiety disorders; family medicine; guidelines