Philip G. Levendusky, Ph.D., McLean Hospital
Question: How do I know that I need medication for an anxiety disorder, and can I be treated with medication alone?
Answer: Being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder does not necessarily mean that you are going to be taking medication.
Medication is one component of an effective treatment program for anxiety disorders. Most typically, the combination of medication with other psychological interventions is looked at as the ultimate strategy for dealing with anxiety disorders.
One of the difficulties of taking medication alone to deal with the anxiety disorder, is that often the medication doesn't fully control the anxiety. and people will tend start to take more anxiety medication. And it might lead to a pattern of medication abuse.
So again, the ideal combination is an integration of medication with more psychological strategies.
Next: Why Might I Need A Combination Of Medications For My Anxiety Disorder?
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