In this video, Professor Dr. Dan Stein highlights the dynamic nature of anxiety disorders, emphasizing the need to re-conceptualize them from a course perspective. He notes that while diagnostic criteria in DSM-5 and ICD-11 are static, anxiety disorders are more fluid. Longitudinal studies show that these conditions persist and are often comorbid, but also that persistence with treatment leads to significant improvement. Predictors of course include biological, psychological, and social factors, which are crucial for understanding and managing anxiety disorders over a lifetime.
Professor Dr. Dan Stein
Professor and Chair of the Dept of Psychiatry and Mental Health,
University of Cape Town, South Africa
Related content
Suicidal ideation is far more common than attempts in people with anxiety or depression, especially with comorbid disorders and severe depression.