Anxiety disorders affect roughly one in five adults in the US. Treatment typically starts with therapy and may include SSRIs or SNRIs, medications originally developed for depression that also reduce anxiety. Many people benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, but symptom control can be partial and side effects can limit medication use.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing drugs that work faster than SSRIs, including compounds targeting the NMDA receptor and GABA system. Researchers are studying psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy for specific anxiety disorders, cannabinoid-based treatments, and digital therapeutics that deliver therapy through apps. Investigations also focus on kappa opioid receptor antagonists and inflammation-targeting approaches.
Fast-acting anxiolytics
Drugs targeting the NMDA receptor may reduce anxiety within hours rather than weeks. Early trials suggest they could help people who haven't responded to SSRIs.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy
Psilocybin and MDMA are being tested in combination with therapy for social anxiety and PTSD-related anxiety. Results from controlled trials have shown sustained symptom reduction in some participants.
Digital therapeutics
Apps delivering cognitive behavioral therapy are being tested to see if they can reduce anxiety as effectively as in-person sessions. Some have received FDA clearance as prescription digital therapeutics.
What to know before you search
Eligibility often depends on diagnosis type, symptom severity on standardized scales, prior medication trials, and whether other psychiatric conditions are present.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing new medications, usually compared to placebo or existing drugs like sertraline or escitalopram, to see if they reduce anxiety symptoms.
- Therapy trials — Testing psychotherapy approaches, including virtual reality exposure therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and app-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Psychedelic trials — Studies of psilocybin or MDMA given with guided therapy sessions. Participants receive the drug a few times over weeks, not daily.
- Prevention trials — Testing whether early intervention in people at high risk can prevent full anxiety disorders from developing.
- Biomarker studies — Following people with anxiety to identify biological markers that might predict treatment response or guide personalized treatment.
Recently added Anxiety Disorders trials
Artistic and Movement Activities to Reduce Anxiety in Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a combined artistic and motor activity program can reduce anxiety in children aged 8-13 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing chemotherapy at Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does participation in the program reduce anxiety compared to standard care? * Does the program improve psychological well-being, social interaction, and coping during treatment? Researchers will compare an experimental group (receiving the artistic and motor program) with a control group (receiving standard care only) to see if the intervention lowers anxiety scores on the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. * Complete pre- and post-intervention anxiety assessments. In the experimental group: * Attend 16 weekly sessions over 4 months. * Participate in art workshops (drawing, coloring, group activities). * Engage in motor activities (warm-up, progressive exercises, relaxation, light games, treadmill/cycling up to 5 minutes). In the control group: Will not be exposed to the program, with anxiety measured before and after the same period.
Testing Interventions to Mitigate the Health Impact of Heatwaves on Primary School Children in Climate-vulnerable Districts of Bangladesh.
The goal of this clinical trial is to assess the impact of implementing a combination of heat education and school-based physical infrastructure interventions in reducing heat related illnesses and improving educational outcomes among primary school children aged 7-14 years in two climate-vulnerable districts of Bangladesh. The main questions it aims to answer are: Whether different combinations of heat education and physical infrastructure interventions can reduce indoor classroom temperatures and heat-related illnesses and improve the health and mental well-being of primary school children. Whether these interventions can improve educational outcomes among primary school children and provide cost-effective and scalable solutions for heat mitigation in low-resource settings. Researchers will compare different combinations of interventions, including: (1) heat education with solar reflective paint, (2) heat education with bamboo ceiling and polyethylene foam, and (3) heat education with both solar reflective paint and bamboo ceiling with polyethylene foam, to assess their relative cost-effectiveness. The interventions will be implemented in BRAC Education Programme-run primary schools in Gaibandha and Kurigram districts. Children will be the primary participants of the study. Researchers will assess changes in classroom indoor temperature, heat-related health outcomes and mental well-being among children, as well as their school attendance and academic performance. The study will also explore potential scalability of the interventions in similar settings.
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