Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The society continues changing, and with it comes several issues as well as challenges that have significant negative impacts on people's mental health. One such impact is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). As the name suggests, this is a mental condition often characterized by a constant state of extreme worry about several things (Walden University, 2019). In most cases, patients suffering from this condition usually worry about the issues in their lives such as health, the long-term state of their careers and money. GAD patients usually display extreme worry to the extent that they start anticipating future events and even become paranoid about them, expecting the worst possible outcome despite no indicator of such. In other words, they find it very difficult and cannot control their anxiety levels. GAD can be treated or managed through the use of anxiolytic medications.
The application of an anxiolytic as a treatment for GAD usually comes in only after certain conditions have been confirmed. First is the level of anxiety being manifested by the patient. The treatment of the disorder only works in instances when the patient experiences episodes of anxiety. The proper treatment approach can be employed through the determination of the anxiety level. Second is the effectiveness of the defences therein. The patient's physical and mental defences are assessed to see if one can combat these anxieties naturally without intervention—finally, the manifestation of the disorder. An extreme instance of anxiety indicates that the patient is on the periphery of suffering from GAD, and measures must be taken. When it comes to this, there is a high likelihood of the application of anxiolytics, something that will be lifelong for the patient.
Treatment of GAD can be through the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2021). Examples of these include paroxetine, escitalopram and duloxetine. Other treatment options involve using Buspirone, benzodiazepines and hydroxine (Speed Pharmacology, 2016). Escitalopram usually takes a maximum of a day to clear up from the bo

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