Question

How are anxiety disorders conceptualized within the psychodynamic, biological, learning-based, and cognitive perspectives?

Answer 1

Psychodynamic Perspective is a model that was developed from Psychoanalytic theory, proposed by Sigmund Freud. The view of this theory is that the disorders are produced due to the stress of unresolved conflicts that we are not aware about (unconscious conflicts). These conflicts are sometimes resultant of disagreement between our desires and reality (Id and superego). So, the disorder can be treated successfully by resolving the conflict.

Biological Perspective looks at disorders from a view point of biological functions. It tries to find out the cause of disease by investigating the underlying biological factors. Through this perspective anxiety can be conceptualized as a cluster of various biological markers like neurotransmitters and their function, personality and traits, genes, neural system, bodily functions, etc.

Learning-Based Perspective is a model based on social theories and learning theories. They view disorders are something that is learned by watching others or by doing it and learning it as an avoidance mechanism. Through this perspective anxiety is conceptualized as disorder that is learned to avoid certain situation. Example, at workplace you might have had a humiliating experience, so now you get anxiety whenever you need to go to your office. This is because you are thinking that it might happen again so the thought of it happening again is already causing you anxiety just so to avoid it.

Cognitive Perspective model views disorder as a maladjusted response to certain situations. This happens because of the persons wrong or false assumptions regarding self. In this model, anxiety is conceptualized as a mechanism that individuals produce due to assumption or overestimation of the situation. For such individuals, while facing these situations they shift all of their focus onto anxiety, viewing themselves negatively which causes maladjustment or coping difficulties.