It is worth crediting anxiety with the ability to achieve relative stability, adapt to the ever-changing conditions of our lives, and, of course, ensure that we are in control.
The life of anxiety begins in our bodies.
For example, it is through anxiety that an infant “communicates” to its mother the urgent needs without which it will not survive.
Consequently, once the need is met, peace of mind ensues. In this context, anxiety will perform the function of “removal” of tension, which will be used by an adult in dealing with situations of danger after a while.
However, there is more to know about anxiety!
Anxiety is always a mystery and an enigma in its understanding, being quite “multifaceted” in its expression.
First, the manifestation of anxiety as a specific physiological state is measured by the subjective sensations of our BODY.
The spectrum of sensations of anxiety in the body ranges from ordinary physiological manifestations of tension in the form of tremors (shaking hands, twitching eyelids, eyes, corners of lips, eyebrows); to unreasonable, repeated actions without reason (checking whether the iron is off, whether doors are closed, whether the cooker is off, re-reading instructions); phantom sensations of pain (chest pain, heartache, tension in hands, toothache), etc., and ending with quite severe forms: migraines, cramps, cramps, choking, vomiting, etc.
These sensations are always unpleasant. However, they are the very ones that indicate the release of tension from the body.
At the same time, living in the body, these sensations are always subordinate to the psyche.
It is the complexity of anxiety!
So, on the one hand, anxiety is felt by the body. On the other hand, the perception of this sensation is provided by the psyche. Therefore, it is from the mental perception of anxiety, even at the body level, that it depends on whether anxiety will be used as a resource of the psyche or whether it will become a constantly activated source of tension and dissatisfaction.
Anxiety must be seen from a perceptual perspective through its relationship with psychics.
It is generally accepted that anxiety is a state of tension without a specific problem but functions ostensibly in “problem waiting mode”.
Subjectively, anxiety is experienced as a readiness to cope with danger. At this point, it is divided into two types:
– Anxiety as a resource for overcoming a real threat, a danger;
– Anxiety that fully activates the psyche, but there is no real danger or threat
In this distinction lies the fundamental mystery of anxiety.
When it is an actual, efficient mental resource for overcoming danger, then it is a sign of mental health. If anxiety is not confirmed by the real danger presence but is constantly present, it is considered a component of neurosis or the basis of psychosis.
Neurosis and psychosis, being cardinally different processes of human mental life, have common indicators, among which anxiety has almost the dominant role.
It is characteristic of neurosis to ‘disrupt’ the habitual way of life by producing unrealistic suffering by living the past events in the format of the present. And in this process, anxiety will always be linked to neurosis by “strong bonds”, for one cannot exist without the other. But the forms of interaction can be very different!
Anxiety is lived under ‘cover’ of guilt, doubt, apathy, phantoms, debilitating expectations of catastrophes, horrors, loss, loneliness, and ’emptiness from the loss of self’, which debilitate the person in neurosis.
Psychosis is always in overdrive from anxiety. What distinguishes psychosis from neurosis is the loss of reality and “total coverage” by anxiety. Anxiety literally “overwhelms” the person in psychosis, the whole person “becomes anxiety”. The hopelessness of getting rid of it literally “destroys” all possible passages of human consciousness.
Of course, we are talking about a healthy psyche, which is clinically unhealthy.
If, on the other hand, anxiety acts as a ‘conduit’ for a person’s total splitting of the self and which is doomed to ‘no return’, an escape from reality – we are talking about profound incurable mental illnesses.
However, it is essential to try to answer the question: what can be done about anxiety, when should preventive measures be taken to deal with it, and when should specialised help be sought?
If you have anxiety that manifests itself in threatening situations and when you overcome them, you feel a decrease in anxiety – you are doing well, anxiety is a resource!
However, if you have overcome the dangerous situation and the tension remains and continues to “live its life”, you should take care of yourself. Namely:
It is worth remembering that an overabundance of anxiety is always due to your ability to fantasize.
Very often, a person creates anxiety. It is this anxiety that comes to us from childhood.
If you have kept such a “secret”, you must seek help. After all, as an adult, you live your life according to childish thinking strategies, which means you evaluate the reality of adult life using children’s methods.
And so it turns out that life “yesterday”, precisely with the help of anxiety, gives meaning to adult life.
<< Back to the list of articles
