Q. I am seeing a 40 year man with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  Also describes self as an introvert.  He is in the Technology field and in a leadership role which he does not like.   There are many issues to be addressed, but was wanting to know your thoughts on any medications like Buspar that could help. He did try Lexapro several years ago, but did not like so discontinued.  I have referred him to a psychiatrist. Are there better anti-depressant meds than Lexapro to help reduce anxiety?

man_with_anxietyA. No medication in the antidepressant or anxiolytic classes will help him reconcile the issue of being in a role which he doesn’t like. He’d benefit most from addressing what he wants and doesn’t want head on – with the help of mindfulness techniques and even a yoga class to better ground him and reduce the anxiety naturally. I’ve also found through many years of clinical work that when clients start on these medications, it impedes progress with their addressing the harder work of reconciling the presenting problem because they often rely on the drug to do the work. Which it can’t.