Non-pharmacological treatment of anxiety in general practice: a scoping review

TL;DR

This review explores non-drug treatments for anxiety in general practice, finding digital tools, low-intensity care, and body-based methods show promise for mild to moderate cases.

Contribution

The study provides a structured overview of non-pharmacological anxiety treatments in general practice, identifying key intervention themes and research gaps.

Findings

Digital interventions, low-intensity care models, and body-based approaches were the main non-pharmacological treatments identified.

All included studies targeted patients with mild to moderate anxiety and showed positive effects despite methodological differences.

The evidence base remains limited, highlighting the need for further research on effectiveness and real-world implementation.

Abstract

Anxiety is a common problem amongst the population, including patients in general practice. Treatment often relies on medication, but non-pharmacological alternatives may offer safer or more sustainable options, particularly for mild to moderate anxiety. There is a limited overview of which non-pharmacological treatments have been studied or implemented in general practice.

This scoping review aims to explore and describe existing evidence on non-pharmacological interventions for anxiety in general practice, providing an overview of available treatment approaches and identifying gaps to inform future research.

A scoping review was made following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Data was collected using keywords in several databases (PubMed, CINAHL and APA PsycInfo) and selected based on predefined eligibility criteria.

Three thousand four hundred and twenty-five articles were screened and 64 were assessed. A total of seven peer-reviewed articles were included. Three themes emerged among the interventions. These were digital interventions, step-wise and low-intensity care models, and body-based interventions. The interventions were delivered through various formats, including mobile apps, online platforms and in-person clinics. The studies all targeted patients with mild to moderate anxiety. Despite differences in methodology and populations, the interventions showed a positive effect.

This scoping review highlights that while the evidence is still limited, the non-pharmacological interventions mentioned in this review have shown promise in the treatment of anxiety. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness, implementation and real-world impact of these approaches in general practice.

Figures