Munich, Germany — October 24, 2025.
Indonesian psychiatrist, Dr. Andri, Sp.KJ, FAPM , from EMC Alam Sutera Hospital, South Tangerang, was one of the Asian speakers at the World Association for Stress Related and Anxiety Disorders (WASAD) Congress 2025 held in Munich, Germany.
In an international forum dominated by experts from Europe and the United States, Dr. Andri presented his scientific work entitled:
“Evidence vs. Efficacy: Real-World Outcomes of Anxiety Treatment in Resource-Limited Settings.”
Bringing Developing World Voices to Global Forums
As one of the speakers from Asia—alongside representatives from Japan and Pakistan—Dr. Andri highlighted the realities of psychiatric practice in developing countries like Indonesia, where anxiety often manifests as physical or psychosomatic complaints , such as chest pain, dizziness, or recurring digestive disorders.
"In a context like Indonesia, we often encounter patients with predominantly physical symptoms, even though the underlying cause is anxiety. The challenge is that international guidelines don't fully account for the limited access to psychological therapy in developing countries," said Dr. Andri on the sidelines of the event.
From Scientific Evidence to Clinical Reality
In his presentation, Dr. Andri emphasized the importance of understanding the difference between research results (efficacy) and real-world results in patients' lives (real-world effectiveness).
He presented several real-life cases of Indonesian patients demonstrating that combination therapy with low-dose antidepressants and benzodiazepines for a limited time can help patients with predominantly physical symptoms of anxiety.
This emphasis is also supported by the results of a 2024 meta-analysis published in Comprehensive Psychiatry , showing that benzodiazepines are more effective for somatic symptoms than antidepressants alone, although their use must remain ethical and closely monitored.
Asia's Role in Global Psychiatric Discourse
The WASAD 2025 Forum brings together psychiatric experts from around the world to discuss advances in the treatment of stress and anxiety disorders.
For Dr. Andri, this participation is not just a personal honor, but also a representation of Asia's, and Indonesia's, contribution to the global conversation on mental health.
"Psychiatry is a universal science, but its application must be contextualized. We need to continue sharing experiences from developing countries to make the global approach more humane and relevant," said Dr. Andri.
About Dr. Andri
- Andri, SpKJ, FAPM, is a psychiatrist who is widely known as an expert in anxiety and psychosomatic disorders .
He actively practices at EMC Alam Sutera Hospital , and is known for his public education on social media and the Kompasiana platform, where he frequently writes about the mind-body relationship in mental health.
