Definition

Noun: 1. A type of anxiety disorder: A psychological condition characterized by persistent, excessive, and difficult-to-control worry and nervousness, accompanied by various physical and emotional symptoms. This state lasts for an extended period, typically more than six months.

Usage

• The term "anxiety reaction" is a clinical descriptor used primarily in psychology and psychiatry to categorize a specific pattern of symptoms.
• It describes a chronic condition, not a temporary feeling of nervousness.
• It is often used interchangeably with the more modern diagnostic term Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Examples

• The patient's persistent worry, muscle tension, and restlessness were diagnosed as an anxiety reaction.
• Chronic anxiety reaction can significantly interfere with daily activities and quality of life.
• Her symptoms, including constant irritability and sleep disturbances, fit the profile of a long-term anxiety reaction.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used in a more general, non-clinical sense to describe a severe or prolonged state of anxiety, though this is less common.
  • The constant uncertainty about his job security triggered a prolonged anxiety reaction.

Variants and Related Words

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): The contemporary clinical term most synonymous with "anxiety reaction."
• Anxiety Disorder: The broader category of mental disorders that includes anxiety reaction/GAD, panic disorder, phobias, etc.
• Free-floating anxiety: A key characteristic of this condition, referring to anxiety that is not linked to a specific cause or situation.

Synonyms

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Chronic anxiety
• Persistent anxiety

Notes on Meaning

The definition provided specifies this as a disorder lasting more than six months, distinguishing it from short-term stress or situational anxiety. The core meaning involves both the psychological experience of excessive worry and the accompanying physical reaction (e.g., sweating, trembling).

Noun

1. an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic free-floating anxiety and such symptoms as tension or sweating or trembling or lightheadedness or irritability etc that has lasted for more than six months