an unexpected sensation of worry or anxiety in conjunction with bodily signs of tense muscles, generally preceded by a intimidating scenario, like a test or court trial- this feeling generally goes away after the intimidating event has come and gone.
ACUTE ANXIETY: "Maria suffers from acute anxiety, which strikes often unexpectedly and really hinders her social skills and work abilities."
Cite this page: N., Pam M.S., "ACUTE ANXIETY," in PsychologyDictionary.org, April 7, 2013, https://psychologydictionary.org/acute-anxiety/ (accessed March 31, 2020).
