Anxiety Disorders

Abstract

AbstractAnxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in developed countries. They include valid real fears, neurotic fears, and fears of structural disorders. The type of anxiety is the guiding principle for the disorder-specific psychodramatic approach. Panic attacks are caused by the imminent collapse of an old self-protection through perfectionism. The therapist therefore places chairs next to the patient to externally symbolize the patient’s symptoms in everyday life and also his self-protection through perfectionism (ego-state), which threatens to collapse in anxiety provoking situations. In disorder-specific psychodrama therapy, the patient traces his dysfunctional self-regulation in his symptom production in the as-if mode of play. In doing so, he understands himself for the first time. He gains ego control over his symptom production and spontaneously finds alternative courses of action. Thus, the therapist first works directly on the metacognitive processes that cause the panic and the dysfunctional thought content. This opens up access to the patient’s underlying conflicts.