Behavioral Science & Ethics USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 42-year-old woman with generalized anxiety disorder has been stable on sertraline 100 mg daily for 2 years. She tells her physician she wants to stop the medication because she read online that SSRIs cause permanent brain damage. She has no current symptoms of anxiety or depression. Which of the following is the most appropriate response?
Answer choices
- ARefuse to discontinue the medication because the patient's concerns are unfounded
- BExplore her concerns, provide evidence-based information, and discuss the risks of abrupt discontinuationCorrect answer
- CDiscontinue the medication immediately as the patient requests
- DIncrease the dose to prevent relapse before stopping
- ESwitch to a benzodiazepine as a safer alternative
- FContinue the current dose indefinitely without discussing her concerns, as stopping any psychiatric medication increases relapse risk
See the full explanation
Get the correct-answer rationale, why each distractor is wrong, the underlying mechanism, and high-yield associations — plus adaptive practice that targets your weak areas — with a free MedBoardPRO account.