Life events related to the inception of anxiety neurosis

We collected the data of life events contributing to the onset of anxiety states in our series of 118 patients with anxiety neurosis by using a check list specially designed for the purpose. We found that the most significant events producing anxiety states were those concerning "illness and medical treatment" in both sexes. From these data, a suggestion was made that stressful life events directly menacing "the security of life" played the most important role in the inception of anxiety neurosis.