The Psychology of Anxiety

 

Yves Gendron Psychologist

Anxiety states range from mild worry to terror and panic.

 

The duration of these feelings can also vary, ranging from a flush of anxiety to persistent anxiety.

 

 

1. You need to understand that many of the feelings you experience are the result of anxiety

 

 

2. You need to know that these feelings are not dangerous in any way.

What is anxiety?

 

 

Although it is very difficult to formulate a precise definition of anxiety, i.e. one that would cover all aspects (in fact, whole books have been written on the subject), everyone knows this feeling we call "anxiety". There is no one who has not experienced some degree of anxiety, whether it is the apprehension felt before taking an exam, or that state of alarm when you wake up in the middle of the night, certain that you have heard a suspicious noise outside.

 

 

What is less well known, however, is that sensations such as extreme dizziness or lightheadedness; dots in front of the eyes and blurred vision; numbness and tingling; tense, almost paralysed muscles; and sensations of respiratory discomfort that may include tightness, choking or suffocation, can also be part of anxiety. When these sensations occur and you don't understand what is going on inside you, the anxiety can escalate to a level of panic, as you believe you are suddenly struck by an illness.

 

 

The 'face or flight' reaction

 

 

Anxiety is a reaction to danger or threat. It is so called because all the effects it causes are essentially either to face the danger or to flee from it to protect the body.

 

 

The mechanisms of anxiety

 

 

Anxiety manifests itself through three distinct mechanisms, one of which may predominate from one individual to another.

 

 

The physical mechanism includes all physical symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, sweating, chest pain and shortness of breath.

 

 

The behavioural mechanism includes concrete reactions such as walking pace, stamping feet and avoidance. During panic attacks, the physical mechanism predominates, as it is the psychosomatic symptoms that are most easily mistaken for signs of certain serious illnesses or conditions.

 

 

The mental mechanism includes the actual feelings of nervousness, anxiety, panic and also thoughts such as "something is wrong".

 

 

Family causes

 

Yves Gendron Psychologist

 

 

 

 

There is no genetic predisposition to the phobic state, it is a learned behavioural disorder. But this disorder often develops from the same base (anxious family models, nervous and/or physical fatigue, unmanaged stress that accumulates, etc.), a phobic is then recognised by a characteristic profile that tends to favour the triggering of a phobia:

 

 

- Represses emotions

- Perfectionist (does not allow himself to make mistakes)

- Severe towards oneself

- Demanding, rigid

- Unable to say no

- Doesn't recognise limits

- Easily made to feel guilty

- Fears disappointing others

- Has a great deal of insecurity

 

 

By dint of repression, being strict with oneself, giving all the time to others, exceeding one's limits, etc., tensions accumulate. In 96% of cases, this is what triggers the first panic

 

Family models

 

 

1- Highly critical parents

 

 

Parents who are constantly criticising everything or who set too high standards of performance can leave us feeling guilty or in another way, make us feel that we are never good enough. In adulthood, we are always striving for perfection in an attempt to eliminate a feeling of inferiority. We can also have a very strong sense of self-criticism.

 

 

2- A significant loss during childhood

 

 

If one has been separated from a parent by death or divorce, one may feel abandoned. We may grow up with a sense of emptiness and insecurity that can be re-stimulated very intensely by the loss or separation of others in our adult life.

 

We will therefore seek to overcome old feelings of abandonment by being very dependent on certain people or by having addictions to drugs, alcohol, food. We work to reduce the pain.

.

There are also children whose parents often threaten them with separation

 

 

 

3- Abusive parents

 

 

Physical and sexual abuse are extreme forms of depreciation. This can leave us with complex and mixed feelings, including

- feeling inadequate

- lack of trust

- feeling guilty or angry

 

4- Parents who are alcoholics or drug abusers / suicidal parents

 

 

Parents create an unstable, unpredictable atmosphere, which makes it difficult for the child to develop because it lacks a sense of security or a safe atmosphere.

Parents deny their own problems, which leads the child to deny its own feelings of pain. Children often have poor "self-esteem" or a poor personal identity.

Parents who give too much responsibility at a young age either because of illness, depression, alcohol, drugs... The children then become parents.

Many social phobics have experienced this situation.

 

5- Neglectful / unpredictable parents

 

 

Neglectful parents: Because they work too much or because of other preoccupations, do not give the child the necessary attention or affection the child needs. 

Unpredictable parents: One says white, the other black. They often contradict each other in front of the child and there is no family stability.

 

 

6- Rejecting parents

 

 

Even without physical, sexual or verbal abuse, parents give the impression that their children are less wanted. This very damaging attitude leads the child to doubt himself or even his right to exist. There is a tendency to reject oneself or to sabotage what is positive.

 

 

7- Over-protective parents

 

 

Over-protective parents lead the child not to trust the world around them and not to risk being independent. They prevent them from making their own experiences.

 

As an adult, they feel insecure and are afraid of the world around them.

 

 

8- Parents who spoil us

 

 

Children receive everything from their parents, even too much. The child does not know the limits. As an adult, we become blasé, we have no perseverance, we have difficulty sustaining an individual effort. We expect the world to come to us, rather than taking responsibility for creating our own life.