[Anxiety neurosis--avoidant behavior--depression. A comparison between panic disorder and generalized anxiety...

30 patients with "Anxiety disorder" were investigated with regard to their psychosocial experiences, their family history, the course of their illness, and their interpersonal relationships using a semi-structured interview. Patients with panic disorder significantly more frequently reported real fright of a parent than did patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Both groups showed a high degree of secondary depression and avoidance behavior in the course of their illness. Chronic anxiety was more frequent in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. The difference in the perception and judgement of anxiety clearly demonstrates the significance of attribution. Since the patient with panic disorder externalizes his anxiety, he has periods of complete remission, whereas the patient with generalized anxiety disorder internalizes his anxiety, thus experiencing it as an ego-syntonic feature, with which he cannot cope.