Getting up from the Rocking Chair: Adlerian Interventions in Anxiety Disorders

ABSTRACT: The basic feeling associated with anxiety disorders is fear. Fear is a survival emotion that is highly connected to evolutionary development. When fear is directly stimulated by a perceived dangerous situation, the body and brain react to seek safety. Anxiety occurs when there is no current outside stimulus but the anticipation of such produces a similar fear response. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed., text revision) provides diagnostic criteria for seven anxiety disorders and five obsessive–compulsive disorders. For Adlerians, each of these disorders is a form of escape or withdrawal from the tasks of life. The purpose of anxiety is to safeguard the individual from feeling defeated or from a loss of self-esteem. The antidote to a life of anxiety is a life of cooperation with others, meaningful use of one’s time, and the experience of loving and being loved. Still, it is sometimes important to interrupt or diminish the experience of anxiety to fully engage in therapy. This article delineates interventions based on holism and social interest that can be effective in addressing anxiety in clients.