Last time, we talked about fear and defined it as the emotion felt in response to an imminent threat that triggers immediate physiological responses. Anxiety, on the other hand, is the state activated in response to a probable future threat and generates muscle tension and vigilance (i.e., focused attention on the situation).
After the Depressive Disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) discusses Anxiety Disorders. Before delving into anxiety, I’d like to talk about an emotion related to it, namely fear. What is the difference between fear and anxiety? Fear is a basic emotion that activates in response to an immediate danger, whereas anxiety is a complex emotion based on the threat of a future danger.
