Question

Erica has to give a presentation in front of a group of co-workers. She is feeling very nervous about this, and is surprised because she never had any problems giving presentations in her classes. What kind of anxiety is she suffering from?

Answer 1

Answer:

Erica is suffering from situational anxiety.

Explanation:

Situational anxiety is different from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which is a continuous state of worrying that's independent from the situation. Situational anxiety is caused by new elements in a situation, or completely new situations. Those changes cause the person to temporarily lose their ability to stay calm. In Erica's case, one element has changed when compared to previous situations. Even though she is used to giving presentations, she is not used to giving them to her co-workers. The new element is what is making her nervous about it. Maybe she fears being judged by her peers more harshly than by her students, for instance.