Functional impairment is essential for diagnosing anxiety disorders because it involves what?

• A. The condition causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning; essential for diagnosis.
• B. Only subclinical worry without impairment.
• C. Solely physical symptoms with no impact on functioning.
• D. Not required for diagnosis.

Answer: (C)

Functional impairment is the determining factor that distinguishes a disorder from normal worry. Anxiety disorders are diagnosed when the anxiety or associated symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. In other words, the worry or bodily symptoms must interfere with daily life and functioning for a diagnosis to be made. If there’s worry that doesn’t disrupt functioning, it isn’t enough for a formal diagnosis. Likewise, having physical symptoms without any impact on daily functioning doesn’t meet the criteria. Finally, impairment isn’t optional—it’s required to differentiate a disorder from ordinary anxiety.