Existential anxiety refers to a healthy, constructive form of anxiety that corresponds with an awareness of personal freedom and the consequences and responsibilities that accompany decisions. Existential therapists view existential anxiety as a catalyst for growth.
History
The concept of existential anxiety is rooted in existentialist philosophy. According to historyguide.org, Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche helped shaped existentialism in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries by focusing on the meaning of existence and the significance of the individual .
Features
Anxiety is a normal part of the human condition.
From an existential approach, anxiety is considered a normal part of living. Normal anxiety should not be eliminated, but channeled into rational decisions and constructive behavior.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for existential anxiety, as it is a normal--even healthy---universal condition. However, existential therapists believe that individuals who face existential anxiety will benefit from personal therapy to help them define their goals and deal with the stress accompanying life changes.
Significance
the inevitability of dealth can beome a catalyst for life
According to psychologist and author Gerald Corey, Ph.D , existential anxiety becomes useful as individuals consider their own mortality and allow the certainty of death to lend meaning to the present. The inevitability of death motivates actions that give life meaning.
Warning
Existential psychologists distinguish existential anxiety from "neurotic" or abnormal anxiety. Existential anxiety reflects an appropriate reaction to life's risks, while abnormal anxiety is an exaggerated response that could signal an anxiety disorder that requires treatment.
Tags: existential anxiety, abnormal anxiety, normal part
