I was asked to join someone at their first appointment with a new psychiatrist and thank goodness I did because after hearing about the patient's extensive trauma history and ADHD, this provider wanted to focus on treating their anxiety!

Wait. What?

Yep.

I stepped in and suggested that treating the anxiety was like putting a bandaid on an infected limb - it would only act as a cover up for the actual issues causing the anxiety - the trauma work and increased depression that can happen during intense trauma healing work. I expressed that it was the lack of motivation from the depression that was causing the increased anxiety and that addressing the underlying symptoms made a lot more sense.

Luckily, this turned out to be a provider open to other views and they agreed, but oh boy, why is it so often the go-to to focus on anxiety first instead of deeper things that are causing the anxiety?!?