Anxiety disorders: a long-term prospective and retrospective follow-up study of former inpatients suffering from an anxiety neurosis or phobia.

Psychopathological status and psychosocial functioning of 40 former inpatients suffering from an anxiety neurosis (ICD 300.0) or phobia (ICD 300.2) were followed up over a period of 6-8 years using standardized instruments. In addition, the course of illness, the utilization of medical services and the periods of work disabilities were assessed. With regard to psychopathology, in more than half of the patients course and outcome could be regarded as chronic and severe; only one third of the patients were free of marked or severe psychopathological symptoms during the 12 months preceding the reexamination. Although on the psychosocial outcome level 67% of the 40 former inpatients showed marked or severe difficulties in most social role areas, especially in the field of personal interaction, the great majority of these patients seemed to have adapted somehow to their life situations. Only 13% could be regarded as severely impaired and in continuous need of supervision and guidance. Coping difficulties with everyday demands and dissatisfaction with their social functioning and their anxiety-related restrictions were most prominent in all anxious patients. In contrast to some other long-term follow-up studies, most of which were carried out on outpatients, the results suggest a rather unfavourable course and outcome of anxiety disorders.