Screening for Anxiety and What Happens Next

"In September, the U.S. Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) issued draft guidelines recommending screening all adults aged 19 to 64 for anxiety disorders. Guidelines recommending anxiety screening for children aged 8 to 18 were finalized in October. Universal screening has not been recommended for adults 65 and over; one reason is that many anxiety screening tools flag symptoms, such as impaired sleep, that are natural consequences of aging.

According to the USPSTF guidelines, over 26 percent of men and 40 percent of women experience anxiety disorders during their lifetime. Anxiety disorders typically begin in childhood and young adulthood. They are treatable conditions, especially if recognized early. Alarmingly, only 11 percent of adult patients with anxiety disorders start treatment within a year of onset. The average time from onset to treatment is a whopping 23 years.

Screening

Among the many screening tools available, the USPSTF found the most evidence of effectiveness for GAD-7 (general anxiety disorder). If a patient scores high on the GAD-7, clinicians generally conduct further assessments to arrive at a diagnosis. Common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety.

Depression is a common comorbid condition. One study estimated that 50 percent of patients with anxiety disorders had comorbid depression and vice versa. Patients who present a danger to themselves or others should receive immediate treatment.

Treatment

Fortunately, such severe symptoms are not common. Most anxiety disorders don’t require medication but can be treated with behavioral interventions. Evidence-based therapies include mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Evidence also shows that lifestyle changes are important: exercise or any activity that gets the patient up and about. Social interaction and diet changes like cutting caffeine. “Spiritual activities also matter,” said Gibson. “That could be going to religious services, volunteering–anything that gives meaning to life.”

For patients with severe anxiety, a combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy may bring the most rapid and meaningful improvement. These patients should be referred—to a psychiatrist with expertise in the treatment of anxiety if one is available. If not, the patient’s primary care provider—if that provider has been trained to diagnose and treat anxiety and other mental health conditions—may be able to prescribe the appropriate medication."

*I think this is such an insightful article for those who are early in their journey with anxiety or depression! It gives some idea as to how the whole process goes. I think there is a lot of stigma around reaching out for help, but there's no reason to be scared! It can take a little bit to find the right provider for you, but there's very normal and it happens to all of us! You are all amazing and you can do it! We are always here for you! If you have reached out to a provider for help, how did your journey go? What do you wish went differently?*

#Anxiety #Depression #Screening

Please find the full article at Psychology Today.