Psychotherapeutic interventions

Primary care physicians may offer a comprehensive care of patients having psychiatric ailments. Psychological interventions are effective to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorders, and tobacco use disorders in primary care settings. Psychotherapeutic approaches are effective either as an alternative or as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy, with enduring benefits after discontinuation of drug treatment. Psychotherapy also represents a pilot area of intervention to treat withdrawal symptoms and disorders due to the tapering or discontinuation of psychotropic medications, in particular selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In this chapter, we will illustrate basic steps to establish routine evidence-based psychotherapy for unipolar depression, anxiety disorders, somatic symptom disorder, and substance use disorders in primary care settings. Some factors should be considered to formulate a proper treatment plan for mental disorders in primary care, including primary care physicians’ clinical judgment, availability of treatment, and patient’s preference.