A Comprehensive Assessment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatments

Abstract

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which is commonly known as a mental health disorder. GAD has the characteristic of sustained and excessive anxieties, which seriously affects the daily lives of patients. The present study comprehensively evaluated the clinical characteristics, treatment methods, and efficacy of GAD. The research involves Pharmacotherapy (such as benzodiazepines and antidepressants), psychotherapy (such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and innovative therapies such as sandplay therapy (SPT). The results indicate that psychotherapy and drug therapy are still the first choices, and innovative therapies can be used to assist and improve treatment. Choosing a treatment method requires comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including the individual condition of the patient and possible side effects. In this study, a systematic review of the typical features of GAD and its etiology was performed. In addition, the advantages of different therapies as well as typical representatives are discussed and analysed. The results of this study provide implications for related research and suggest future research directions.