Anxiolytics are widely prescribed in primary and secondary mental health services despite the NICE guidelines highlighting that the preferred treatments for anxiety are psychosocial treatment or self-help approaches based on CBT principles.

Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear that seems to arise from an unknown source or is out of proportion to any apparent cause. It is also a common symptom in several different types of disorders, such as phobias, panic disorder,…