anxiety reaction
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of anxiety disorder: A psychological condition characterized by persistent, excessive, and difficult-to-control worry and nervousness, accompanied by various physical and emotional symptoms. This state lasts for an extended period, typically more than six months.
Usage
- The term "anxiety reaction" is a clinical descriptor used primarily in psychology and psychiatry to categorize a specific pattern of symptoms.
- It describes a chronic condition, not a temporary feeling of nervousness.
- It is often used interchangeably with the more modern diagnostic term Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Examples
- The patient's persistent worry, muscle tension, and restlessness were diagnosed as an anxiety reaction.
- Chronic anxiety reaction can significantly interfere with daily activities and quality of life.
- Her symptoms, including constant irritability and sleep disturbances, fit the profile of a long-term anxiety reaction.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be used in a more general, non-clinical sense to describe a severe or prolonged state of anxiety, though this is less common.
- The constant uncertainty about his job security triggered a prolonged anxiety reaction.
Variants and Related Words
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): The contemporary clinical term most synonymous with "anxiety reaction."
- Anxiety Disorder: The broader category of mental disorders that includes anxiety reaction/GAD, panic disorder, phobias, etc.
- Free-floating anxiety: A key characteristic of this condition, referring to anxiety that is not linked to a specific cause or situation.
Synonyms
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Chronic anxiety
- Persistent anxiety
Notes on Meaning
The definition provided specifies this as a disorder lasting more than six months, distinguishing it from short-term stress or situational anxiety. The core meaning involves both the psychological experience of excessive worry and the accompanying physical reaction (e.g., sweating, trembling).
Noun
- an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic free-floating anxiety and such symptoms as tension or sweating or trembling or lightheadedness or irritability etc that has lasted for more than six months