Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anxiety Disorders: Diagnosis and Epidemiology

  • Chapter
Contemporary Psychiatry

  • 29 Accesses

Abstract

Anxiety is a universal human experience. Since its earliest literary mention in the Epic of Gilgamesh in about 2000 B.C., it has been dealt with in many different ways in literature, philosophy, religion, and, of course, psychology and medicine. In 1826, the Belgian psychiatrist Joseph Guslain first pointed out the important role played by anxiety in the generation of some psychopathological conditions (McReynolds 1985). In 1871, Westphal gave the original description of agoraphobia. In 1895, Sigmund Freud published a paper entitled Über die Berechtigung, von der Neurasthenie einen bestimmten Symptomenkomplex als ‘Angstneurose’ abzutrennen (English title in the Standard Edition: “On the Grounds for Detaching a Particular Syndrome from Neurasthenia Under the Description ‘Anxiety Neurosis’”). In 1920, Watson and Rayner first reported the experimental induction of an anxiety reaction by conditioning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • APA (1980) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 3rd edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • APA (1987) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 3rd edn rev. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • APA (1994) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bebbington P, Hurry J, Tennant C, Sturt E, Wing JK (1981) Epidemiology of mental disorders in Camberwell. Psychol Med 11: 561–579

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bland RC, Newman SC, Orn H (1988a) Period prevalance of psychiatric disorders in Edmonton. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77 [Suppl 338]: 33–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bland RC, Orn H, Newman SC (1988b) Lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Edmonton. Acta Psychiatr Scand 77 [Suppl 338]: 24–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blazer D, Hughes D, George LK (1987) Stressful life events and the onset of generalized anxiety syndrome. Am J Psychiatry 144: 1178–1183

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bronisch T (1995) Komorbidität von Angsterkrankungen. In: Kasper S, Möller HJ (eds) Angst- und Panik-Erkrankungen. Fischer, Jena, pp 99–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Freud S (1895) Über die Berechtigung, von der Neurasthenie einen bestimmten Symptomencomplex als “Angstneurose” abzutrennen. Neurol Zentralblatt 14: 50–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurney CM, Roth M, Garside RF, Kerb TA, Shapira K (1972) Studies in the classification of affective disorders. II. The relationship between anxiety states and depressive illnesses. Br J Psychiatry 121: 162–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen H, Linden M (1986) Die Differenzierung von Angst und Depression. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen H, Baltes MM, Geiselmann B et al (1996a) Psychische Erkrankungen im Alter. In: Mayer KU, Baltes PB (eds) Die Berliner Altersstudie. Akademie Verlag, Berlin, pp 185–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Helmchen H, Linden M, Wernicke T (1996b) Psychiatrische Morbidität bei Hochbetagten. Nervenarzt 67: 739–750

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heizer JE, Robins JN, McEvoy L (1987) Posttraumatic stress disorder in the general population. N Engl J Med 317: 1630–1634

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson S, Duncan-Jones P, Byrne DG, Scott R, Adcock S (1979) Psychiatric disorders in Canberra: a standardised study of prevalence. Acta Psychiatr Scand 60: 355–374

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaspers K (1948) Allgemeine Psychopathologie, 5th edn. Springer, Berlin Göttingen Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendler KS, Neale MC, Kessler RC, Heath AC, Eaves LJ (1992) Generalized anxiety disorder in women. A population-based twin study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 49: 267–272

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S et al (1994) Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry 51: 8–19

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klein DF (1964) Delineation of two drug-responsive anxiety syndromes. Psychopharmacologia 5: 397–408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klein DF (1981) Anxiety reconceptualized. In: Klein DF, Rabkin J (eds) Anxiety: new research and changing concepts. Raven, New York, pp 235–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CK, Kwak, YS, Yamamoto J et al (1990) Psychiatric Epidemiology in Korea. I. Gender and age differences in Seoul. J Nerv Ment Dis 178: 242–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leon AC, Portera L, Weissman MM (1995) The social costs of anxiety disorders. Br J Psychiatry 166: 19–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linden M, Maier W, Achberger M, Herr R, Helmchen H, Benkert O (1996). Psychische Erkrankungen und ihre Behandlung in Allgemeinarztpraxen in Deutschland. Ergebnisse aus einer Studie der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO). Nervenarzt 67: 205–215

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linden M, Förster R, Oel M, Schlötelborg R (1993) Verhaltens-therapie in der kassenärztlichen Versorgung. Eine versorgungsepidemiologische Untersuchung. Verhaltenstherapie 3: 101–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Massion AO, Warshaw MG, Keller MB (1993) Quality of life and psychiatric morbidity in panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Am J Psychiatry 150: 600–607

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McReynolds P(1985) Changing conceptions of anxiety: a historical review and a proposed integration. Issues Ment Health Nursing 7:131–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Michelson LK, Marchione K (1991) Behavioral, cognitive, and pharmacological treatments of panic disorder with agoraphobia: critique and Synthesis. J Consult Clin Psychol 59: 100–114

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mombour W, Kockott G (1971) Diagnosenschlüssel und Glossar psychiatrische Krankheiten. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Noyes R, Crowe RR, Harris EL, Hamra BJ, McChesney CM, Chaudry DR (1986) Relationship between panic disorder and agoraphobia. A family study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 43: 227–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ormel J, Van den Brink W, Koeter MWJ, Giel R, Van der Meer K, Van de Willige G, Wilmink FW (1990) Recognition, management and outcome of psychological disorders in primary care: a naturalistic follow-up. Psychol Med 20: 909–923

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee RM (1991) Generalized anxiety disorder: a review of clinical features and theoretical concepts. Clin Psychol Rev 11: 419–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Regier DA, Boyd JH, Burke JD et al (1988) One-month prevalence of mental disorders in the United States: based on five epidemiologic catchment area sites. Arch Gen Psychiatry 45: 977–986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS (1990) The epidemiology of anxiety disorders: the epidemiologic catchment area (ECA) experience. J Psychiatr Res 24: 3–14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robins LN, Heizer JE, Croughan J, Williams JBW, Spitzer RL (1981) NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule: version III (May 1981). National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville MD

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanderson WS, Wetzler S, Beck AT, Betz F (1993) Prevalence of personality disorders among patients with anxiety disorders. Psychiatry Res 51: 167–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheibe G, Albus M (1992) Age at onset, precipitating events, sex distribution, and co-occurrence of anxiety disorders. Psychopathology 25: 11–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skre I, Onstad S, Edvardsen J, Torgersen S, Kringlen E (1994) A family study of anxiety disorders: familial transmission and relationship to mood disorder and psychoactive substance use disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand 90: 366–374

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer RL, Endicott J, Fleiss L (1978) The global assessment scale: a procedure for measuring overall severity of psychiatric disturbance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33: 766–771

    Google Scholar 

  • Torgersen S (1983) Genetic factors in anxiety disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry 40: 1085–1089

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Ameringen M, Mancini C, Styan G, Donison D (1991) Relationship of social phobia with other psychiatric illness. J Affect Dis 21: 93–99

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watson JB, Rayner R (1920) Conditioned emotional responses. J Exp Psychol 3: 1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westphal C (1871) Die Agoraphobic Eine neuropathische Erscheinung. Archiv Psychiatr Nervenheilkd 3: 138–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wing JK, Cooper JE, Sartorius N (1974) The measurement and classification of psychiatric symptoms. Cambridge University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1991) Der Langzeitverlauf unbehandelter Angststörungen: Wie häufig sind Spontanremissionen? Verhaltenstherapie 4: 273–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU (1993) Komorbidität bei Angststörungen. Häufigkeit, ätiologische und klinische Implikationen. In: Kasper S, Möller HJ (eds) Angst- und Panikerkrankungen, Diagnose, Therapie. Socio Medico, Gräfelfing, pp 60–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Vossen A (1995) Implikationen von Komorbidität bei Angststörungen. Ein kritischer Überblick. Verhaltenstherapie 5: 120–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Hand I, Hecht H (1989) Prävalenz, Komorbidität und Schweregrad von Angststörungen. Ergebnisse der Münchner Follow-up Studie (MFS). Z Klin Psychol 18: 117–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Essau CA, Zerssen D von, Krieg JC, Zaudig M (1992) Lifetime and six-month prevalence of mental disorders in the Munich follow-up-study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neuosci 241: 247–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wittchen HU, Zhao S, Kessler RC, Eaton WW (1994) DSM-III-R generalized anxiety disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 51: 355–364

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1992) Manual of the international statistical classification of diseases, injuries, and causes of death, 10th edn. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Yonkers KA, Warshaw MG, Massion AO, Keller MB (1996) Phenomenology and course of generalised anxiety disorder. Br J Psychiatry 168: 308–313

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. M. Linden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Zubrägel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, P.O. Box 12 21 20, 68072, Mannheim, Germany

    Fritz Henn

  2. Belle-Idée, Bâtiment Salève, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, 2, chemin du Petit-Bel-Air, 1225, Chêne-Bourg/Genève, Switzerland

    Norman Sartorius

  3. Psychiatrische Klinik, Freie Universität Berlin, Eschenallee 3, 14050, Berlin, Germany

    Hanfried Helmchen

  4. Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675, München, Germany

    Hans Lauter

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Linden, M., Zubrägel, D. (2001). Anxiety Disorders: Diagnosis and Epidemiology. In: Henn, F., Sartorius, N., Helmchen, H., Lauter, H. (eds) Contemporary Psychiatry. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59519-6_118

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59519-6_118

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64007-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59519-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation