Anxiety is a complex phenomenon with psychological and physiological components. It is linked to the visualization of negative events in the future. For example, an anxious subject who is about to play a game of chess will consider himself a loser before he has moved the first piece.

The theories of anxiety are diverse , but they all agree that the individuals who present it feel somehow threatened by everyday and harmless situations.

Current knowledge regarding anxiety theories is constantly advancing. This progress is largely due to the many research studies that have been generated to date and especially to those that are still open. Most studies are designed to test and create effective treatment approaches.

Theories of Anxiety

Let’s look at some of the anxiety theories that exist. To a large extent these contributions have focused on the relationship between information processing and emotion .

Although a number of anxiety theories have been postulated, there are three basic orientations:

  • Bioinformational processing of images and affects, by Carl Lange.
  • Bower’s associative network concept.
  • Schematic concept, by Beck.

These three theories of anxiety are based on the belief that there are cognitive structures concerning anxiety disorders. Let’s look at their characteristics.

1. Emotion and image: Bioinformational processing

For bioinformational theory, it is not relevant how the information is stored, but the types of information stored and the results produced by the activation of that information . It assumes that all the information processed by the human mind is encoded in the brain in an abstract way and at the same time.

Specifically, bioinformation theory points out that the basis of thought is based on logical relationships that could be expressed through propositional logic formulations. The propositions are grouped in psychic networks, the networks constitute an associative structure or associative memory of the emotion, which constitutes a kind of “affective program”. In the psychological treatment of phobias, generally the emotional memory is activated , through a verbal method.

2. Concept of the associative network (Bower)

Emotions are represented in memory as units or nodes, in the form of an associative network (semantic network)
The nodes are related to other types of information: relevant situations to facilitate the emotion, visceral reactions, memories of pleasant or unpleasant events, etc.

The activation of an emotional node facilitates the accessibility of material congruent with the mood (mood congruence hypothesis).

Memorized material is best remembered when there is a link between the conditions in which it was originally learned and the conditions under which it is intended to be remembered (the mood-dependency hypothesis).

Biases operate at different levels of processing: attention, interpretation and memory. Experimental data tend to indicate that Depression is primarily associated with processing biases rather than memory biases.

3. Concept of scheme (Beck)

Bower and Beck have in common that they both believe that in patients with an anxiety disorder, there must be a dysfunctional cognitive structure that leads them to produce certain biases in all aspects of information processing . They developed their theory thinking more about depression than anxiety.

Thus, for Beck there is a cognitive scheme that is not very adaptive and that keeps anxiety high when applied to analyze and interpret reality. However, the reasons why the prevalence is maintained in a certain way are not sufficiently explained.

Therapies associated with this psychological disorder

Some of the most effective therapies for anxiety disorders

1. Cognitive restructuring

Cognitive restructuring is a general strategy of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Its aim is to modify the mode of interpretation and subjective assessment of the subject , through dialogue and majeutics.

2. Exhibition techniques

When the anxious subject is afraid to speak in public, he may skip classes to avoid giving a presentation in front of his fellow students. The aim of these techniques is that through repeated exposures controlled by the therapist, the subject gradually acquires control over the anxiety, until it disappears .

3. Systematic desensitization.

Instead of immediately confronting the subject with the feared situation or object, treatment and exposure begin with a situation that is only slightly threatening, in a therapist-controlled environment, and then move step-by-step toward the goal.

Must go to therapy

Going to therapy will always be the best way to overcome anxiety or learn to control it. Science shows that psychotherapy is the best option to help the patient; it provides techniques to relax and helps you see situations from a healthy perspective.

Bibliographic references:

  • Nuss, P (2015). “Anxiety disorders and GABA neurotransmission: a disturbance of modulation”. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 11: 165-75.
  • Rapee R. M. Heimberg R.G. (1997). “A cognitive-behavioral model of anxiety in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 35 (8): 741–56.
  • Rosen JB, S. J. (1998). “From normal fear to pathological anxiety. Psychological Review. 105 (2): 325-50.