Managing anxious patients: cognitive behaviour therapy in general practice

BACKGROUND: It is well established that some individuals have an inherent disposition toward experiencing anxiety more readily than others. These individuals are prone to high levels of autonomic arousal, exaggerated threat perception and dysfunctional coping strategies. In general practice these patients present frequently with a broad range of physical and psychological concerns that are often time consuming and challenging for general practitioners to assess and manage. OBJECTIVE: In this article we suggest some management strategies based on a cognitive behavioural therapy approach. DISCUSSION: Cognitive behavioural therapy strategies such as cognitive reframing, behavioural experiments and graded exposure have been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety. We also present some examples and worksheets to illustrate how these techniques can be applied in general practice. (author abstract)