First-Line Decisions: Lifestyle Modification or Medication? Guiding Initial Care in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Choosing between psychotherapy, lifestyle interventions, and medication at the onset of GAD treatment requires nuanced assessment. This session will review clinical markers that support initiating pharmacotherapy versus prioritizing CBT, mindfulness-based strategies, sleep optimization, and physical activity. Faculty will discuss how factors such as severity, comorbid depression, trauma history, and patient preference shape first-line decision-making. Participants will learn to create personalized care plans that balance rapid symptom relief with long-term resilience-building strategies.

Session developed in partnership with Psychiatry Redefined.