Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions in the United States, and most people who seek treatment improve — but not everyone responds to standard medications or therapy alone. Research is testing faster-acting drugs, structured digital therapy, and treatments that work without the dependence risk of benzodiazepines.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing new medications that act on different brain pathways than SSRIs, internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy, virtual reality exposure therapy, and treatments for specific forms like social anxiety, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety. Researchers are also studying anxiety in people with chronic illness, after the pandemic, and in adolescents.
New medications
Drugs that target different brain pathways than older antidepressants are being tested for anxiety, including some that may work faster or without sexual side effects.
Digital therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy delivered through apps and online programs is showing real benefit for anxiety, especially when combined with brief clinician support. Trials are testing what works best.
Exposure-based treatments
Virtual reality and structured exposure programs help people face feared situations in a controlled way. Studies are testing them for social anxiety, panic, and specific phobias.
What to know before you search
Eligibility often depends on the specific anxiety disorder (generalized, panic, social, phobia), severity, and what treatments have already been tried.
What types of trials are currently open
- New medication trials — Testing drugs that target newer brain pathways for anxiety, sometimes aimed at faster relief or fewer side effects.
- Therapy trials — Testing cognitive behavioral therapy and related approaches in person, online, or through apps.
- Device trials — Studies of brain stimulation or wearable devices designed to reduce anxiety symptoms.
- Prevention trials — Testing approaches to prevent anxiety in people at high risk, such as adolescents or those with chronic illness.
- Observational studies — Following people with anxiety over time to understand what helps and what makes it worse.
Recently added Anxiety trials
Online Personalized Psychological Intervention for Patients With Heart Disease and Depression or Anxiety (MY-CHOICE)
The goal of this feasibility study is to assess if the personalised online psychological intervention MY-CHOICE is acceptable to adults with ischemic heart disease and anxiety or depression. It will also examine the reasons for drop-out. The main questions the study aims to answer are: How many participants complete the intervention and what are the reasons for drop-out. And what are the pre-post change scores on anxiety and depression. Participants will: Complete the MY-CHOICE intervention consisting of 6-12 weeks with online modules on various topics based on individual needs in combination with video- or telephone calls with a therapist (psychologist or a trained master student in Psychology) on a need-to basis. Answer a set of questionnaires pre and post intervention. Participate in a brief interview post intervention.
PARO-agitation-study
Postoperative agitation is a common and serious complication in visceral and transplant surgery, associated with prolonged hospital stays and an increased risk of self-harm. Therefore, it is important to find an approach to improve the management of postoperative agitation and to reduce its duration and severity. The medical device "PARO" is a robotic seal that enables patient-robot-interaction. Patients respond to the device through verbal communication and motor responses, as well as facial expressions and gestures. The seal detects human interaction through audiovisual recognition, tactile sensors, and the integration of artificial intelligence. The aim of the study is to observe the use of "PARO" in patients undergoing elective visceral surgery and to analyze the occurence of agitation. A decrease in the incidence of postoperative agitation is to be expected in a cohort of patients undergoing visceral surgery who use PARO compared to a group of patients undergoing visceral surgery who do not use PARO. To monitor the occurrence of postoperative agitation, a standardized screening will be conducted twice daily for three days using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). To assess postoperative pain, anxiety and delirium, the Numerical Pain Scale (NRS), the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) and a delirium screening tool (3D-CAM/CAM-ICU) are used by a trained study team. The occurrence of other neuropsychiatric symptoms and postoperative surgical complications will also be assessed. Additionally, the interaction between PARO and the patients is analyzed regarding movements, reactions to haptic and auditory stimuli, and the frequency of interaction. Our approach involves quantitatively monitoring these metrics to collect sensor data from the robot and video recordings of the patients to identify facial expression and posture patterns. The use and acceptance of the robot on clinical wards by various professional groups are evaluated. The focus is particularly on nursing staff, who have the most interactions with patients. The project is complemented by a hygiene study examining how successfully the hygiene protocol is integrated into clinical routines and what challenges the use of PARO poses in an intensive care unit. The aim is also to examine the workflow and time-related aspects of its usage. The study will be submitted as a clinical trial of the medical device within its intended use, without any additional invasive or burdensome procedures, in accordance with the provisions of Section 15 of the Medical Practitioners Act (MBO).
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