818 Glossary of Technical Terms
antidepressant discontinuation syndrome A set of symptoms that can occur after
abrupt cessation, or marked reduction in dose, of an antidepressant medication that
had been taken continuously for at least 1 month.
anxiety The apprehensive anticipation of future  danger or misfortune accompanied by
a feeling of worry, distress, an d/or somatic symptoms of tension. The focus of antici-
pated danger may be internal or external.
anxiousness Feelings of nervousness or tenseness in reaction to diverse situations; frequent
worry about the negative effect s of past unpleasant experiences and future negative possi-
bilities; feeling fearful and apprehensive about uncertainty; expecting the worst to happen.
Anxiousness is a facet of the broad personality trait domain N EGATIVE  AFFECTIVITY .
arousal The physiological and psychological state of  being awake or reactive to stimuli.
asociality A reduced initiative for interacting with other people.
attention The ability to focus in a sustained manner on a particular stimulus or activity.
A disturbance in attention ma y be manifested by easy DISTRACTIBILITY  or difficulty in
finishing tasks or in concentrating on work.
attention seeking Engaging in behavior designed to attract notice and to make oneself
the focus of others’ attention and admiration . Attention seeking is a facet of the broad
personality trait domain ANTAGONISM .
autogynephilia Sexual arousal of a natal male associated with the idea or image of being
a woman.
avoidance The act of keeping away from stress-rela ted circumstances; a tendency to cir-
cumvent cues, activities, and situations that remind the individual of a stressful event
experienced.
avolition An inability to initiate and persist in go al-directed activities . When severe enough
to be considered pathological, avolition is pervasive and prevents the person from com-