Method of treating anxiety-related disorders with 2-aminocycloaliphatic amide compounds

A method of treating anxiety in subjects in need of such treatment comprising administering to said subject a kappa opioid receptor agonist in an effective anxiety-combatting amount, wherein said kappa opioid receptor agonist is a compound of the formula:

• ##STR4## wherein R is C1 to C3 alkyl;
• R.sub.1 is C1 to C3 alkyl, and R.sub.2 is C1 to C6alkyl, --CH.sub.2 CF.sub.3, C3 to C6(allylic)alkenyl, C2 to C5 hyroxylalkyl, C3 to C6 cycloalkyl, C3 to C4 cycloaklylmethyl, phenyl C1 to C3 alkyl, or alternatively R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded form a saturated, monocyclic, heterocyclic ring containing only carbon and nitrogen ring atoms and containing from 3 to 4 carbon atoms;
• said saturated monocyclic heterocylic ring being optionally substituted in the 3 position of the ring with hydroxy, C1 to C3 alkyl, C1 to C3 alkyloxy, or C1 to C3 alkanoyloxy;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen or methyl;
• R.sub.4 is hydrogen or methyl, or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded form a cyclopropylene ring;
• m is 1 to 4;
• n is 2 to 4;
• Q is 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl or a moiety of formula II ##STR5## wherein each of X, Y and Z is hydrogen, a halogen having an atomic number of from 9 to 35, trifluoromethyl, C2 to C3 alkyl, C1 to C3 alkyloxy, azido or phenyl, and at least one of X, Y and Z is a substituent other than hydrogen, and when one of X, Y and Z is azido, phenyl, C1 to C3 alkyloxy or trifluoromethyl, the remaining X, Y and Z moieties are hydrogen, and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.