Anxiety

Anxiety

Feelings of unease, worry, and fear, encompassing both emotional and physical sensations related to the fight or flight response triggered by perceived threats.

Fight or Flight Response

Biological reaction to threats involving the release of adrenaline and cortisol, leading to increased alertness, heart rate, and energy, followed by relaxation once the danger has passed.

Anxiety Disorder

Normal behavior becoming a disorder when excessively severe, frequent, or inappropriately timed, hindering regular functioning, such as constant worrying about everyday events.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Characterized by excessive, disproportionate worry persisting for months, leading to difficulties in concentration, breathing, and other physical, emotional, and social functions.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Involves excessive fear or anxiety in social situations lasting for months, like interactions or performing in front of others.

Panic Disorder

Marked by recurrent unexpected panic attacks and fear of their recurrence, causing avoidance of social situations or enduring them with intense anxiety, lasting for several months.

Specific Phobia

Fear causing significant distress or impairment, directly linked to encountering or anticipating the feared stimulus, leading to avoidance or intense anxiety, lasting for months.

Cognitive Explanation of Anxiety

Attributes anxiety to dysfunctional thinking patterns, treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to alter thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to worrying.

Behavioral Explanation of Anxiety

Views anxiety as learned behavior through classical and operant conditioning, treated with exposure therapy, relaxation techniques, and other methods to modify maladaptive behaviors.

Biological Explanation of Anxiety

Links anxiety to genetic predisposition and brain circuit dysfunctions, treated with medications like benzodiazepines or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors to regulate neurotransmitters and alleviate symptoms.