A patient,just laid off from his job of 15 years,is pacing rapidly in the waiting room.His behavior is disorganized,he is trembling,and he can be heard admonishing himself that he should have worked harder.He told the triage nurse that he would like to get some medication to calm him down so he can "think straight." Which of the following would constitute a therapeutic rationale for the use of antianxiety medication as his initial treatment?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Antianxiety medications are useful in severe levels of anxiety because they can quickly reduce the patient's anxiety to a more manageable level that allows the patient to participate more meaningfully in further assessment and treatment.The patient's belief that it would be beneficial should be considered but is not itself rationale for choosing this treatment modality.It would likely help calm the patient but by itself would not be adequate treatment and thus would not be sufficient to permit his release from care.Most antianxiety medications are subject to abuse and when misused can be addictive;very few antidepressant medications are addictive.

A Patient,just Laid Off from His Job of 15 Years,is