Psychology of Emotions: Anxiety, Fear, Panic

Anxiety and Fear

• Anxiety is a future-oriented state characterized by negative affect, focusing on the possibility of uncontrollable danger or misfortune.
• Fear is a present-oriented state characterized by strong escapist tendencies and a surge in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system in response to current danger.

Panic and Worry

• Panic is a sudden overwhelming reaction, named after the Greek god Pan.
• Worry is a largely cognitive or thinking concept that refers to concerns about possible future threat.

Panic Attack and Disorder

• A panic attack represents the alarm response of real fear without actual danger, can be unexpected or expected.
• Panic Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include:
  • Chest pain
  • Heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dizziness
  • Abdominal distress

Historical Context

• Howard Liddell (1949) proposed that anxiety is connected to human intelligence, calling it the “shadow of intelligence.”
• Liddell believed that humans' ability to plan for the future leads to a feeling of uncertainty and the need to be prepared for possible negative outcomes.