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Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. [1] [2] [3] Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response to a present threat, whereas anxiety is the anticipation of a future one. [4]
Anxiety disorders affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives, with an estimated 4% of the global population currently experiencing an anxiety disorder. However, anxiety disorders are treatable, and a number of effective treatments are available. [11] Most people are able to lead normal, productive lives with some form of treatment ...
People with anxiety disorders can exhibit fear responses, such as defensive behaviors, high levels of alertness, and negative emotions. Those with anxiety disorders may have concurrent psychological disorders, such as depression. Anxiety disorders are classified using six possible clinical assessments: [2]
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about events or activities. [5] Worry often interferes with daily functioning, and individuals with GAD are often overly concerned about everyday matters such as health, finances, death, family, relationship concerns, or work difficulties.
Panic disorder is a mental and behavioral disorder, [5] specifically an anxiety disorder characterized by reoccurring unexpected panic attacks. [1] Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations , sweating, shaking, shortness of breath , numbness, or a feeling that something terrible is going to happen.
At a post-treatment follow-up four years later 90% of people retained a considerable reduction in fear, avoidance, and overall level of impairment, while 65% no longer experienced any symptoms of a specific phobia. [15] Agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder are examples of phobias that have been successfully treated by exposure therapy. [44]
Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder, characterized by an extreme, unreasonable, and irrational fear associated with a specific object, situation, or concept which poses little or no actual danger. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Specific phobia can lead to avoidance of the object or situation, persistence of the fear, and significant distress or problems ...
As a psychotherapeutic technique, it is used to treat phobia and anxiety disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder. It works by exposing the patient to their painful memories, [1] with the goal of reintegrating their repressed emotions with their current awareness. Flooding was invented by psychologist Thomas Stampfl in 1967. [2]