ABSTRACT
Anxiety in general is a normal and even essential human emotion, as it secures survival. Cognitive behavioral therapy is long known to be the gold standard in psychotherapy of anxiety disorders. Cognitive therapy and exposure therapy alone, in combination or combined with relaxation training, was shown to be effective across different anxiety disorders, with no differential efficacy for any treatment components for any specific diagnoses. The pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders has been studied intensively, and clinical trials showing its effectiveness have been well replicated. The anxiolytic effect of aerobic exercise in healthy subjects has been investigated in numerous studies, and several older meta-analyses suggest a fear-reducing effect in healthy people. Cross-sectionally, the link between physical activity and anxiety has been intensively studied, and high self-reported levels of physical activity have generally been found to be associated with better mental health, including lower emotional distress and fewer symptoms of anxiety.
