General
On Thursday, September 5, 2024, prof. dr. Neeltje Batelaan will hold her inaugural lecture accepting her appointment as Professor of Anxiety Disorders at Amsterdam UMC and VU Amsterdam. The inaugural lecture will be held in Dutch.
Psychiatry of anxiety-related disorders: from nature to approach
Anxiety is a normal emotion that alerts us to danger. However, when the 'alarm system' in our brain is overly sensitive, we become fearful without reason, leading to anxiety-related issues. Over the past decade, the prevalence of these issues has significantly increased, affecting more than one and a half million adults in the Netherlands. The impact is substantial, not only for the individual but also for their loved ones and society as a whole. Anxiety-related disorders rank second in the list of total disease burden from physical and mental conditions in society. It is a social issue that must be recognized. The impact must be reduced. The problems we face often begin early, initially progress favorably, but become increasingly persistent. They are characterized by avoidance, comorbid disorders, and a fluctuating course. Our current treatments often do not offer a sustainable solution.
We have not sufficiently considered the long-term in our approach. Our approach can be better and more sustainable by explicitly addressing the nature of the problem. This means addressing the issue early with prevention and timely treatment; increasing knowledge of anxiety-related disorders in society and among healthcare gatekeepers, and reducing waiting lists are essential for this. It also means choosing treatment options with the best long-term prognosis and developing next-step treatments. To make care more effective, we must better apply what we know works and embrace digitalization. A societal cost-benefit analysis shows the advantages of this approach: The impact of these issues can be reduced.
View the invitation for the inaugural lecture via the link below (in Dutch):