Psychotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders.

Overview

Psychotherapy, both alone and in combination with pharmacotherapy, is one of the most prevalent treatments for depression and anxiety. Research data are sparse, but there is ample evidence that several psychotherapies are effective for acute affective and panic disorders. The best data are for interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral therapies, with only early reports on the more common psychodynamic psychotherapies. There has been less study of more chronic disorders, but once again the suggestion is that appropriate psychotherapy is effective. Treatment should be active and focused on the patient's symptoms and current problems, not on character pathology or developmental psychodynamics.