Anxiety Disorder

Fear is a primitive, automatic, neurophysiological state of alarm involving the cognitive appraisal of imminent threat or danger to the safety&security of an individual.

Anxiety is a complex cognitive, affective, physiological and behavioral response system (i.e. threatmode) that is activated when anticipated events or circumstances are deemed to be highly aversive because they are perceived to be unpredictable, uncontrollable events that could potentially threaten the vital interests of an individual.

1) Dysfuntional cognition: Is fear or anxiety based on a faulty reasoning about the potential for threat/danger in relevant situations?

2) Impaired functioning: Does the fear/anxiety actually interfere in the person's abilitiy to cope with aversive or difficult circumstances?

3) Persistence: Is the anxiety present over an extended period of time?

4) False Alarms: Does the individual experience false alarms or panic attacks?

5) Stimulus hypersensitivity: Is fear/anxiety activated by a fairly wide range of situations involving relatively mild threat potential?

There is a lot of symptom & disorder comorbidity in both anxiety and depression.

When one disorder predisposes an individual to the development of other disorders.

Threatening stimulus: physical, bodily sensations

Core appraisal: Fear of dying, losing control/consciousness/further panic attacks

Threatening stimulus: Stressful life events or other personal concerns

Core appraisal: Fear of possible future adverse/threatening life outcomes

threatening stimulus: social, public situations

Core appraisal: Fear of negative evaluation from others (e.g. embarrassment, humiliation, ..)