Anxiety reaction in an older adult worried about losing her husband is best described by which statement?

• A. It concerns anticipation of danger rather than present danger
• B. There is a psychological rather than a physical threat
• C. It concerns future or anticipated events
• D. Her symptoms are emotional and not physical

Answer: (C)

Anxiety is typically future-oriented, focusing on potential events rather than something happening right now. Here, the worry is about losing her husband in the future, not about an immediate danger. That anticipation of a possible future loss best captures the nature of anxiety. It isn’t about a present danger (that would be fear), and while anxiety can involve emotional distress and sometimes physical symptoms, the key point is the focus on future or anticipated events.