What Can CAM Do for Anxiety?

Désirée A. Lie, MD, MSEd

Disclosures

December 03, 2014

Case Presentation

Ms Johnson is a divorced 45-year-old woman who has recently moved to your practice location to start a new job. She reports that her divorce was traumatic and that she had been in cognitive-behavioral therapy once monthly for 1 year until her move. She found the therapy to be helpful but somewhat expensive.

Ms Johnson denies being depressed, and a depression screen is negative. However, she suffers from poor sleep (difficulty falling asleep because of recurrent negative thoughts), neck tension, and occasional headaches.

To function well at work, Ms Johnson would like to minimize her anxiety symptoms—and, she adds, without medications. She has no history of chronic anxiety or a primary anxiety disorder, and she describes herself as transitioning well to her new life situation, although she feels a bit isolated and lonely without her former social network. Her general health is good, and her well-woman examination and routine laboratory tests are normal. She has heard about herbals and acupuncture and would like your opinion about what alternative modalities to try.

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