ABSTRACT
Benzodiazepines have been employed for decades to treat excessive anticipatory anxiety (Bethume, 1964; Tobin, Bird, & Boyle, 1960). Benzodiazepines are known to act in the central nervous system (CNS) at 'Y-aminobuteric acid (GABA)A receptors to facilitate GABAergic neurotransmission (see Costa, Corda, Epstein, Forchetti, & Guidotti, 1983). Benzodiazepine treatment affects numerous neurotransmitter systems, including GABA, norepinephrine, corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), cholecystokinin (CCK), and serotonin receptive neurons that are thought to mediate symptoms of anxiety (see Nutt, 1991). Treatment with benzodiazepines is efficacious in reducing the worries and dysphoric emotional and autonomic components of anticipatory anxiety. These effects are immediate, and can nearly eliminate symptoms of anxiety associated
with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with acute treatment. Benzodiazepines are also used as first-or second-line agents for every other anxiety disorder (see Kaplan & Sadock, 1990; Rosenbaum & Gelenberg, 1991), except one-obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
