Dear Dr. Dora
In general, what specific training or education does a general practitioner/family practice doctor/internist receive regarding pharmaceuticals and therapy for anxiety disorders? Does their normal continuing education include these topics?
Man with Questions
Dear Man with Questions,
About 20 percent of us has an anxiety disorder at any given time—like social phobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. However, half of us will suffer from an anxiety condition during our lives.
Anxiety is actually a normal part of life, a basic emotion. Dogs, fish, bugs—all living creatures have anxiety, as a survival strategy. Anxiety is like saying—“It’s dangerous! Get out of there!” But sometimes anxiety can get out of control, and out of proportion to the actual danger. When this happens, then it needs to be addressed.
Even though anxiety is one of the most common medical conditions, most general practitioners have very little training about it. This is because most medical schools don’t have a special anxiety disorders program.
In a doctor’s education, psychiatry takes a backseat to internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, etc. Doctors usually get a course or two about psychiatry. All medical students do some kind of a psychiatry rotation in a clinic or hospital,. But most likely, they’ve focused on schizophrenia (which afflicts 1 percent of the population), or additions. So even when a medical student or doctor studies psychiatry, anxiety takes a backseat.
Calmly,
Dr. Dora