A client is prescribed a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. The nurse would identify that which of the following will be prescribed?

Choice A reason: Buspirone is not used as needed; it requires weeks for serotonin modulation to reduce anxiety. Diazepam’s rapid GABA enhancement suits acute use. Buspirone’s chronic dosing schedule makes this characteristic incorrect for explaining its preference over diazepam for long-term anxiety management.

Choice B reason: Buspirone is slower-acting, taking weeks to enhance serotonin activity, unlike diazepam’s rapid GABA-mediated effects. For anxiety driven by amygdala hyperactivity, diazepam acts faster, making buspirone’s slower onset an incorrect reason for its prescription over diazepam in this context.

Choice C reason: Blood dyscrasias are not a known side effect of buspirone, which primarily affects serotonin receptors. This is unrelated to its preference over diazepam, which carries dependence risks. This characteristic is inaccurate and irrelevant to the rationale for choosing buspirone.

Choice D reason: Buspirone’s lack of dependence risk, unlike diazepam’s GABA-mediated addiction potential, makes it safer for long-term anxiety management. By enhancing serotonin in the prefrontal cortex, it reduces chronic anxiety without habit-forming effects, aligning with its preference for sustained treatment, making this the correct reason.

Choice A reason: Flooding involves intense, immediate exposure to the feared stimulus, like elevators, overwhelming amygdala-driven fear responses. This contrasts with gradual exposure, which calms norepinephrine surges incrementally. Flooding is less controlled and riskier, making it incorrect for the described gradual relaxation technique.

Choice B reason: Systematic desensitization pairs gradual exposure to a fear, like elevators, with relaxation to reduce amygdala hyperactivity and norepinephrine-driven panic. This counterconditions fear responses, promoting calm neural pathways, aligning with the described technique and making it the correct choice for this therapeutic approach.

Choice C reason: Combination therapy involves multiple modalities, like medication and psychotherapy, not specifically gradual exposure with relaxation. The described technique targets phobia-specific amygdala responses, not a broad approach, making combination therapy too vague and incorrect for this targeted intervention.

Choice D reason: Cognitive restructuring modifies thought patterns, not exposure-based fear responses. While it addresses distorted beliefs, the described technique uses relaxation with gradual exposure to reduce norepinephrine-driven panic, not cognitive reframing, making this incorrect for the specific therapeutic method described.