The United States is on the verge of revolutionary changes in anxiety treatment with many new research-supported options now being considered for standard treatment. The development of new methods and medications to treat anxiety has seen little progress over the past 30 years; however, recent research indicates that psychedelic-assisted forms of therapy and newer medications might produce a longer-lasting effect for individuals who haven’t seen results from traditional medications or therapies. An example of this is a compound derived from LSD called MM120 that has had positive results in Phase 2 clinical trials for generalised anxiety disorder and the positive results of a single dose have lasted several weeks.
These findings suggest that future treatments for anxiety could involve carefully supervised psychedelic experiences in combination with formal styles of psychotherapy and will be seen as legitimate forms of treatment rather than fringe experiments. Researchers are continuing to research psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy and other new treatment methods and avenues will be investigated to develop a broader base of treatment methods for individuals suffering from anxiety than just SSRIs and benzodiazepines.
Technology is changing anxiety treatment in new ways with the introduction of digital therapeutics and individualized care plans. For example, apps and remote-monitoring devices can provide real-time tracking for someone’s symptoms and can change exercises or reminders based on the severity of the anxiety. Additionally, if an individual has a spike in their anxiousness, the tools will notify their doctor. The combination of these 3 areas (medication, psychotherapy, and digital assistance) will help to create an individualized, hands-on, patient-centered treatment option.
However, there are significant challenges in the future when using digital tools in treating anxiety disorder: regulators have to regulate digital therapy for both safety and ethical issues; insurance companies will need to determine the coverage of these digital tools; and, lastly, the systems implementing the use of digital therapy will have to account for the issues of deepening inequalities in who has access to advanced treatment for an anxiety disorder.
The passage cites that despite these challenges; for those millions of individuals who feel they have “tried everything” there is a renewed source of “realistic hope” that the use of digital tools could create a treatment option that is more effective than traditional treatment options available, as well as being personalized according to how an individual wants to live their life.
Source: How new research approaches could transform anxiety treatment – Compass
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