A review on the efficacy of artificial intelligence for managing anxiety disorders.

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are psychiatric conditions characterized by prolonged and generalized anxiety experienced by individuals in response to various events or situations. At present, anxiety disorders are regarded as the most widespread psychiatric disorders globally. Medication and different types of psychotherapies are employed as the primary therapeutic modalities in clinical practice for the treatment of anxiety disorders. However, combining these two approaches is known to yield more significant benefits than medication alone. Nevertheless, there is a lack of resources and a limited availability of psychotherapy options in underdeveloped areas. Psychotherapy methods encompass relaxation techniques, controlled breathing exercises, visualization exercises, controlled exposure exercises, and cognitive interventions such as challenging negative thoughts. These methods are vital in the treatment of anxiety disorders, but executing them proficiently can be demanding. Moreover, individuals with distinct anxiety disorders are prescribed medications that may cause withdrawal symptoms in some instances. Additionally, there is inadequate availability of face-to-face psychotherapy and a restricted capacity to predict and monitor the health, behavioral, and environmental aspects of individuals with anxiety disorders during the initial phases. In recent years, there has been notable progress in developing and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) based applications and environments to improve the precision and sensitivity of diagnosing and treating various categories of anxiety disorders. As a result, this study aims to establish the efficacy of AI-enabled environments in addressing the existing challenges in managing anxiety disorders, reducing reliance on medication, and investigating the potential advantages, issues, and opportunities of integrating AI-assisted healthcare for anxiety disorders and enabling personalized therapy.