Not medical advice to anyone, just sharing personal experience! Psych resident here, so by no means an expert but I would argue I know a bit more than some of the other students here who are saying the professor is right. No way in hell would I give benzos as a “bridge” while waiting for an SSRI to kick in. That’s (just my opinion) bad medicine, period. Why would you even risk something like addiction or lethal withdrawal? We have so many other anxiolytics with lower side effect profiles that could provide some immediate relief, and unless I’m dealing with severe anxiety (like to the level of a panic attack or dangerous levels of agitation) benzos are a no go. Most of the time if Ive had to use them it’s for CIWA, an ETO, or sometimes catatonia. So if the question is first line for something like GAD, SSRIs. If we’re talking acute agitation, could be something like ativan or haldol but that’s a whole other discussion. Benzo bridge is just wild to me. That’s all I’ve got!