what is anxiety?
a normal emotion under circumstances of threat and is thought to be part of the evolutionary fight or flight reaction of survival
when does anxiety become a disorder?
when it is overwhelming and affecting function & quality of life by causing feeling of helplessness, confusion, and extreme worry that are out of proportion with the seriousness or likelihood of the feared event
what are the 2 core symptoms of all anxiety disorders?
anxiety/fear and worry
what area of the brain is associated with fear?
amygdala-centered circuit
what area of the brain is associated with worry?
cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit (CSTC circuit)