This newsletter is the last to be edited by Dr. Ron Norton, to whom we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude. Dr. Norton served on the AnxietyBC Board, and subsequent to stepping down from the Board agreed to take over the role of newsletter editor. We are proud of the newsletter's content and relevance, and must give all credit to Ron. We will miss him, but hope to continue to provide timely and useful information through eStrides.
As a not-for-profit, AnxietyBC relies upon the efforts of volunteers, of which Dr. Norton was one. We welcome anyone who wishes to volunteer to help us further our mission of increasing awareness, promoting education and improving access to programs that work.
Over the past few months we have seen more and more references to cognitive behavioural therapy as a treatment for various conditions. While I have not seen statistics to indicate whether CBT is working in these specific situations, cognitive behavioural therapy has been demonstrated to be the treatment of choice for anxiety disorders. One in four people will face an anxiety disorder in their lifetime, but there is still a long way to go to ensure sufferers are aware of -and get access to- the most effective treatments. While cognitive behavioural therapy is the treatment of choice, only 10% of people with a diagnosed anxiety disorder receive CBT. Furthermore, the number of CBT-trained therapists in BC and Canada is insufficient to meet demand.
AnxietyBC continues to work towards filling this gap, through the ongoing development of a DVD series covering anxiety disorders in both children and adults, as well as our website materials, but it is clear that more will need to be done at the health authority/government level to ensure that those requiring treatment receive it. In the meantime, we will continue to advocate for more treatment options for anxiety-sufferers and their families.