There’s been a lot of debate about what triggers an anxiety disorder and how it should best be treated. Some argue that it’s chemical imbalance to be treated with medication, while others suggest it’s the result of repressed emotions in the subconscious. I’ve worked with numerous people who experience various kinds of anxiety disorders, and it’s my opinion that neither of these theories is correct. Rather, I believe that an anxiety disorder is a direct result of exhaustion—physical, mental, or emotional.
Repressed Emotions
I do agree that there’s a need to express our emotions and not have them build up, but I don’t agree that this is the best path to a solution for an anxiety disorder. If every person you knew had therapy, I’m sure that almost every one of them would discover different repressed memories and emotions—but not every one of them suffers from anxiety. It’s certainly true that a good therapist, who makes people aware of neglected or repressed feelings, plays a role in helping people move forward with their lives.
For example, people who suffer from anxiety are frequently “people pleasers” who fear conflict, and addressing that issue does help. However, I have yet to see such an approach make a real difference in ending an anxiety disorder for good. Once the cycle of anxiety has begun, certain practical steps need to be taken to end it. Standing up for yourself and not trying to please everyone can form part of that healing process, but it generally doesn’t take the person the full way to recovery.
The one type of talking therapy that does get good results in trialed studies is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Here the focus is on the present, and people are taught to deal with anxiety in a practical manner. The problem with CBT is that the results are largely dependent on how well the person is guided by the psychologist.
