Effectively applied & utilized CBT alone is often all that's needed to eliminate a wide array of anxieties, phobias, etc. However, it can be synergistic to also do the following:
Medication (please note that some psychotropic medications are prescribed in areas where research does not show them as helpful, therefore leading to side effects but no benefits*)
*Per current meta-analyses of research on SSRI(s) for depression, if not other issues (e.g., anxiety, PTSD, etc.):
It is now clearest that there is an increased suicidal risk in children and young adults, with a greater initial dose further increasing the odds suicide will be attempted, but we don't have as much clarity abt. older adults (esp over age 24) in this regard.
As to effectivity, there are again more studies, etc. to consider, but it does appear the more mild and shorter-term the depression, the less indicated SSRIs become. The younger the person, the indication for use seems to be less, too.
But, there's another possible variable that may not be factored in sufficiently, which is that even if 51% of studies show effectiveness of SSRIs, as some research has described for Zoloft, if different people respond differently to different SSRIs, then it may be more important to find if people respond to the right SSRI for them rather than to just pick an SSRI for a person and see how they respond to that one. Likewise in therapy, there are many models and applications to consider before declaring a particular therapy's potential effectiveness.
Note: Genetic testing may be a way to better determine what drugs work best for what people.