The Role of Existential Therapy in the Prevention of Social Media-Driven Anxiety
Existential therapy is a type of treatment that addresses an individual’s emotional, mental and spiritual needs. It has the potential to assist people cope with various issues like depression and anxiety. This approach often works in combination with other forms of therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy.
One of the primary objectives of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to promote self-awareness and increase potential choices in life. CBT also helps you take responsibility for your actions and decisions, which can enhance overall quality of life.
Therapists utilize techniques that focus on exploring philosophical views about human existence to assist clients with these difficulties. This method may require a great deal of introspection and curiosity as it requires complex concepts to be fully understood.
Therapy allows you to work closely with a therapist to explore how you feel about life, what matters to you and why these ideas drive you. Furthermore, therapy provides guidance on how to put these thoughts into action.
Sarah McMahon of Psych Central describes existential therapy as a tool to help you gain perspective on yourself and understand your past experiences in a fresh light. “In existential therapy, the past is not the primary focus but rather used as an aid to gain understanding,” she states. “Existential therapy doesn’t focus solely on healing from traumas or struggles; rather, it serves to provide perspective into oneself.”
This method draws from various philosophies that emphasize certain “ultimate concerns”, such as freedom of choice and meaning-seeking, along with problems like evil, isolation, suffering, guilt, anxiety and death. It has its foundations in phenomenology – a philosophical discipline which helps people examine their fundamental experience of being in the world to gain more accurate insights about themselves and others.
Another fundamental principle of this therapy is authenticity, which involves discovering one’s true self and values. This requires courage in facing your limitations, leading to increased feelings of freedom and responsibility in everyday life.
Therapy often presents clients with feelings and thoughts that they find challenging to share. However, it’s essential to remember that there is no judgment here; your therapist will simply attempt to assist you in exploring these aspects of life and finding a more satisfying resolution.
With this approach, your therapist will endeavor to give an honest assessment of what’s going on for you and foster a more supportive and understanding relationship with yourself and others. They may also motivate you to take more proactive measures in managing emotions and managing symptoms.
Though the precise definition of existential therapy is difficult to pinpoint, practitioners generally agree that it is an approach centered on relatedness, spontaneity, flexibility and freedom from rigid doctrine or dogma. Although this way of working may be challenging to pin down precisely, its potential impact on people’s lives is vast.