Anxiety disorder link may help doctors prescribe Effexor

Isolating common causes of diseases can help clinicians better prescribe medications and provide patients with more comprehensive care. In cases of anxiety and depression, rapid diagnosis and practical treatment plans can help patients feel better faster. With a variety of different treatments available for relieving symptoms, such as psychological counseling and medications like Effexor, researchers are trying to reduce the uncertainty that comes with mental health care.

Isolating causes of anxiety
Scientists at Concordia University looked at generalized anxiety disorder patients to determine common factors that could help doctors approach depression and anxiety in a more comprehensive way. The study found that some symptoms, such as anger, were linked to feelings of concern and anxiety. Where once clinicians may not have spotted this emotion as a sign of depression, the research could give doctors more insight into the kinds of patient feedback they need to be aware of when diagnosing mental diseases.

"If anger and hostility are contributing to the maintenance of symptoms, and these are not targeted during treatment, these people may not be benefiting as much from that treatment," said lead author Sonya Deschenes. By hiding the real reasons for their anger, she stated that patients were increasing their underlying discomfort and defraying the impact medications like Effexor might otherwise have on their symptom management.

Overcoming patient vacillation
Psych Central wrote that those with acute anger and depression may avoid getting treatment for these symptoms due to a number of factors, but social stigma and affordability can complicate the situation further. Research from Concordia University could help clinicians recognize these signs even if patients don't disclose these underlying issues during regular appointments, helping them to get started in treatment regimens that will eventually prove beneficial to their overall quality of life.

"Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed of their symptoms because our society places illogical taboos on mental health issues over physical conditions," said psychologist Nikki Massey-Hastings. Intuiting underlying issues may seem difficult for practitioners if they aren't certain what to look for, but further insight from Deschenes and her team could provide caregivers with the necessary perspicacity to detect problems that patients may otherwise feel reticent about disclosing.

Overcoming these issues and providing better medical resources to patients is critical for helping reach diagnoses faster. Improved communication between a doctor and patient is integral to obtaining proper diagnosis and treatment.