We all experience certain events in the flow of life, the thoughts we all attribute to these events in our daily life are different, and they make room for different emotions. Although some of the events we experience are similar to each other, the emotions they actually feel are diverse. In the intensity of life, we are not aware of these feelings and their effects. Especially recent disasters, news, pandemic, etc. Fear, anxiety and worry have become more intense emotions for some of us. It is very difficult to give a full definition of anxiety (anxiety-anxiety). However, in fact, everyone recognizes the emotion we call anxiety. There is no person who has not experienced the emotion called anxiety during various experiences, sometimes before an exam, when there is a knock on the door late at night, when he wakes up with an explosion, or in other situations like that. Now that you think about it, you may have noticed that you have experienced one or more of the above examples. However, these concepts are sometimes intertwined and confused. Especially when describing something we fear and worry about.
So what actually is fear? What is anxiety?
According to many schools in psychology, these concepts have been tried to be defined. With the studies of S. Freud, the concept of anxiety was separated from fear and fear was defined as a reaction against a real danger threatening the person from outside, while anxiety was defined as a reaction against the danger threatening the person from within (Morgan, 1991, p.424). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has recently been proven to be especially effective on anxiety; While explaining the concept of fear, he talks about a threat. Muscle tension occurs. There is a feeling of being 'on edge'. Here is not the danger itself. There is an expectation of danger. It can be triggered by just thinking without a stimulus. It is longer lasting. For example, the emotion you feel when you see a dog running towards you on the street is fear. It is shorter and faster.
However, the emotion you feel with the possibility of harming you by a dog standing on the street by itself is anxiety (anxiety). The main purpose of anxiety is to protect the organism, the uncontrollability and anticipation of future-oriented, potentially disturbing events. It is an emotional response characterized by indifference. Worry is an evaluative, predictive mental process with volitional cognitive elements, often with emotional content. There is no encounter with a threat. It will last longer. It is more future oriented. Anxiety, worry, and fear are also normal and necessary emotions. Everything proceeds with a balance. Whenever we talk about a constant state of anxiety-fear about the deterioration of the balance and our functionality is impaired, if we talk about a long-term effect, we can talk about the need for specialist support.
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