Anxiety--do I see a GP or a psychologist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Also, CBT can be useful, but it's not considered a particularly long-term fix. It really depends on what's going on.

? Thought CBT was the established approach for anxiety. Is something else being recommended now?

[Anonymous]

Go see a psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. This works incredibly well for anxiety. If that doesn't work out, the psychologist might recommend seeing a psychiatrist who would be able to prescribe meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Also, CBT can be useful, but it's not considered a particularly long-term fix. It really depends on what's going on.

? Thought CBT was the established approach for anxiety. Is something else being recommended now?

CBT is considered by some to be the established approach for some anxiety disorders. But, again, it depends on the individual and what else is going on. Anxiety and depression often co-exist and can easily be mistaken for each other, for example. As for other approaches, mindfulness-based or more integrative approaches have also shown efficacy for anxiety (among other things). CBT has its strengths, sure, but too many people are way too wedded to it as the way and the light.

Bottom line: I'm skeptical of any therapist who thinks any one approach is best for everyone. It's just not. CBT gets a lot of press thanks to some studies that have shown efficacy, but those studies (a) don't necessarily translate into real-world practice and (b) have been undermined by others showing that it's not actually the cognitive-behavioral components of therapy that are doing the most good.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the explanation. I learned something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the explanation. I learned something.

You're welcome. Learning is good.