Current concept of anxiety: implications from Darwin to the DSM-V for the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder

Abstract

This article proposes a revision of the historical evolution of the concepts of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Currently, Darwin's evolutionary theory is the hegemonic paradigm for modern science and influences research on mental disorders. Throughout the 20th Century, the editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; American Psychiatric Association) have changed the diagnostic criteria for GAD, reflecting the prevailing psychiatric understanding of this disorder. The prevalence and symptoms of major depression and GAD show the fragility of the categorical conception of these conditions. Differences in cultural views towards anxiety disorders also suggest that anxiety cannot have a uniform definition. This article provides contributions for reflecting future guidelines concerning the diagnostic criteria for GAD in DSM-V.

The effects of regular physical activity on anxiety symptoms in healthy older adults: a systematic review

“…1 Nonetheless, anxiety is also clinically defined as an unpleasant, subjective state of vague and diffuse apprehension that is often accompanied by physical sensations, such as sweating, muscle tension, tremors, and tachycardia, among others. 2 Thus, although anxiety may be a valuable mechanism of protection, an anxiety response that is disproportionate to the threat or stimulus may lead to functional impairment, with impact on the personal and professional lives of those affected.…”

“…2 Thus, although anxiety may be a valuable mechanism of protection, an anxiety response that is disproportionate to the threat or stimulus may lead to functional impairment, with impact on the personal and professional lives of those affected. 1 According to the DSM-5, 3 anxiety disorders can be categorized into generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), agoraphobia, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism. Anxiety scales may be used to assess sub-threshold anxiety symptoms (i.e., excessive worry and fear, chronic apprehension, or somatic anxiety symptoms, such as dyspnea, chest pain, and tachycardia) in individuals who are not diagnosed with a specific anxiety disorder.…”

Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review

“…It is a normal adaptive response to stress that allows coping with adverse situations [1,2]. Nevertheless, when anxiety becomes excessive or disproportional in relation to the situation that evokes it or when there is not any special object directed at it, such as an irrational dread of routine stimuli, it becomes a disabling disorder and is considered to be pathological [1].…”

“…It is a normal adaptive response to stress that allows coping with adverse situations [1,2]. Nevertheless, when anxiety becomes excessive or disproportional in relation to the situation that evokes it or when there is not any special object directed at it, such as an irrational dread of routine stimuli, it becomes a disabling disorder and is considered to be pathological [1]. The traditional treatment used is medication and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy [3], however, last years the practice of physical exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, has been investigated as a new non-pharmacological therapy for anxiety disorders.…”

The Carioca High and Low Conditioned Freezing Lines: A New Animal Model of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

“…Most of these reactions are not exclusive to our species. Because of their importance for survival, fear and anxiety traits are believed to have been selected in human evolution and shaped by natural selection for their crucial role in protecting individuals who face adverse environments (Coutinho et al, 2010;Gross & Hen, 2004;Marks & Nesse, 1994). However, these highly adaptive events can be disabling when the individual experiences them excessively or when they occur in the absence of threatening stimuli.…”