What is the Difference Between Existential Anxiety and so Called Neurotic Anxiety?

'The sine qua non of true vitality' An Examination of the Difference Between Existential Anxiety and Neurotic Anxiety

Authors

  • Susan Iacovou Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65828/76m1w881

Keywords:

Anxiety, angst, fear, neurotic, universal, normal, pathological

Abstract

Anxiety has a subtle and elusive character that thought can scarcely grasp. (Macquarrie, 1973, p173). This paper describes the development of the concept of anxiety in psychotherapeutic and philosophical thinking, and defines existential anxiety, comparing and contrasting it to neurotic anxiety, with reference to normal anxiety, without which the picture would be incomplete.

Full text available
Complete access to the full archive of articles is available with SEA membership. Existing members: please log in with your membership password to view full text. Non-members can buy a single article or issue by registering an account on this website, then selecting a padlocked full text button to purchase.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV. USA: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

Auden, W.H. (1948). The Age of Anxiety. New York, London: Faber & Faber

Baumeister, R.F. (1991). Meanings of Life. New York, London: The Guilford Press.

Barlow, D.H. (2002). Anxiety and Its Disorders: The Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic. Guildford: Guildford Press.

Beck, A. and Emery, G. (1985). Anxiety Disorders and Phobias: A Cognitive Perspective. New York: Basic Books.

Bugental, J. (1978). Psychotherapy and Process: The Fundamentals of an Existential-Humanistic Approach. London: McGraw Hill Ryerson.

Bugental, J.F.T (1981). The Search for Authenticity: An Existential-Analytic Approach to Psychotherapy. New York: Irvington.

Cooper, M. (2003). Existential Therapies. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036234898

Ellis, A. (2001). Overcoming Destructive Beliefs: New Directions for Rational Emotive Therapy. USA: Prometheus Books.

Frankl, V.E. (1984). Man's Search for Meaning. London: Rider.

Freud, S. (1936). The Problem of Anxiety. New York: Liverright.

Goldstein, K. (1939). The Organism: A Holistic Approach to Biology. New York: American Book Company.

Hallam, R.S. (1985). Psychological Perspectives on Panic and Agoraphobia. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time. USA: Harper and Row.

Horney, K. (1999). Our Inner Conflicts: Constructive Theory of Neurosis. (International Library Edition), Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315010557

Jaspers, K. (1971). Philosophy of Existence (Works of Continental Philosophy). USA, University of Pennsylvania Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812200867

Kardiner, A. (1945). The Psychological Frontiers of Society. New York: Columbia University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7312/kard94036

Kierkegaard, S. (1944). The Concept of Dread. Trans. Lowrie, W. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Kirkland-Handley, N. (2002). Anxiety: An existential perspective. In Further Existential Challenges to Psychotherapeutic Theory and Practice. Du Plock, S. (ed). London: Society for Existential Analysis. DOI: https://doi.org/10.65828/snvzs017

Lewis, Aubrey. (1967). Enquiries in Psychiatry: Clinical and Social Investigations. London, New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Lewis, M and Haviland-Jones, J.M. (eds) Handbook of Emotions. New York, London: Guildford Press.

Liddell, H. (1956). Emotional Hazards in Animals and Man. New York: Charles C. Thomas. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/12227-000

MacQuarie, J. (1973). Existentialism. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

May, R. (1967). Psychology and the Human Dilemma. USA: van Nostrand.

May, R. (1977). The Meaning of Anxiety. London, Norton & Co. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/10760-000

May, R. (1983). The Discovery of Being: Writings in Existential Psychology. New York, London: W.W. Norton.

Mower, O.H. (1939). The Freudian Theories of Anxiety: A Reconciliation. New Haven, Conn.

Niebuhr, R. (1941). The Nature and Destiny of Man. New York, Chas: Scribner's Sons

Rank, O. (1952). The Trauma of Birth. USA: R. Brunner.

Sartre, J.P. (1958). Being and Nothingness. Trans. Barnes, H. London: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203827123

Schilpp, P.A. (1981). The Philosophy of Jaspers. USA: Open Court Publishing.

Sieber, J.E., et al. (1977). Anxiety, Learning and Instruction. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Seligman, M.E.P. (2002). Authentic happiness: using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. New York, London, Toronto, Sydney: Free Press.

Spielberger, C.D. and Sarason, I. (2005). Stress and emotion volume 17: Anxiety, Anger and Curiosity. USA, RoutledgeFalmer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203782385

Spinelli, E. (1989). The Interpreted World: An Introduction to Phenomenological Psychology. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE.

Spinelli, E. (1997). Tales of Unknowing: Therapeutic Encounters from an Existential Perspective. Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books.

Spinelli, E. (2007). Practising existential psychotherapy: The relational world. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage Publications.

Stekel, W. (1923). Conditions of Nervous Anxiety and their Treatment. Trans. Gabler, R. London: Kegal Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co, Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315009025

Sullivan, H.S. (1948). The meaning of anxiety in psychiatry and life. Psychiatry, 2:1, 1-15.

Tantam, D. (2002). Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511544323

Taylor, S. (1995). Anxiety sensitivity: Theoretical perspectives and recent findings. Behaviour research and therapy: 33: 243-258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00063-p

Tillich, P. and Brown, M. (1965). The Ultimate Concern. Michigan: Harper and Row.

Tillich, P. (1980). The Courage To Be. New Haven & London: Yale University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300170023

Van Deurzen, E. (1997). Everyday Mysteries: Existential Dimensions of Psychotherapy. London and New York: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203864593

Van Deurzen, E. (1998). Paradox and Passion in Psychotherapy. England: John Wiley & Sons.

Van Deurzen, E. (2002). Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy in Practice. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: SAGE.

Van Deurzen, E. and Arnold-Baker, C. (eds) (2005). Existential Perspectives on Human Issues. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-21624-2

Van Deurzen, E. and Kenward, R. (2005). Dictionary of Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi: SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446220771

Van Deurzen, E. (7th March 2008). Septimus Existential Issues Chat Room Discussion, Available from: http://www.septimus.info/LcMU5/phpBB2/chatbox_mod/chatbox_archive_view.php?show_year=2008&show_month=3&show_day=7&start_hour=12&start_minute=00&finish_hour=13&finish_minute=60.

Winnicott, D.W. (1971). Playing and Reality. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203441022

Wolpe, J. (1958). Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition. USA, Oxford: Stanford University Publishing.

Zeig, J.K. (1987). The Evolution of Psychotherapy. In Papers from the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference, held Dec. 11-15, 1985 in Phoenix, Arizona, Psychology Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315791821

Published

2011-07-01

Cite This Article

What is the Difference Between Existential Anxiety and so Called Neurotic Anxiety? ’The sine qua non of true vitality’ An Examination of the Difference Between Existential Anxiety and Neurotic Anxiety. (2011). Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis, 22(2), 356-367. https://doi.org/10.65828/76m1w881
Download: RIS · BibTeX

Articles by the same author(s)

Related articles

Search for similar articles ›