many different ways, most researchers would probably agree that it is above
all else an unpleasant emotional experience. When you experience anxiety,you have feelings of worry, panic, fear, and dread. It is probably the emo-
tional experience you would have if you were suddenly arrested or if you dis-
covered that a diary containing some of your deepest secrets had been passed
around among friends.
Although Freud changed his thinking about anxiety several times during
his career, his last major writing in this area identified three types of anxiety.First, there is reality anxiety, or objective anxiety, which is a response to a
perceived threat in the real world. You probably experienced this type of anx-iety if you were ever followed by a stranger or if you narrowly escaped a seri-ous automobile accident. In cases of reality anxiety, you are aware of the
source of your emotional reaction.
Predictably, these conscious thoughts were not particularly interesting
to Freud. He focused on two other types of anxiety, neither of which has
How do you handle the anxiety in this situation? You might try to think of something
other than what the dentist is doing, or think about the value of good dental hygiene.What you probably won ’t do is concentrate on the potential pain.Photo by Kathryn MacLeanAnxiety and Coping Strategies 125