What is Anxiety? Introduction to Lacan's Theory

[Ludifant]

Anxiety to me has five steps:
1. the wish for continued existence (or fear of death, ego death etc),
2 a. fear of the other´s future aggression
or
b. future unavailability of help (stemming from childhood or disability),
3. the stifling of self expression in order to prevent 2a and 2b, the need to fit in, the shame of not fitting in.
4. the growing of the fear to more abstract precursors of aggression and isolation, like group-opinions or lack of love.
5. the resulting conscious and unconscious behaviour that ends up in a feedback loop.

step 3: The stifling of self expression can lead to the penting up of emotions/unawareness of emotions, which can lead to physical manifestations like tension in the body and awkwardness and ultimately panic attacks that are unrelated to any physical danger. The resulting lack of predictability of behaviour will lead to more fears of non-acceptance. (step 5)
A fear of stifled self-expression or not-living, may be harder to solve than actual fear of death, especially since a life of continuously stifled self expression makes death seem a valid option.

One treatment might be to point out that this deathwish from anxiety/depression is a minority report from the brain.
Wounds still close, repairs are made in other parts of the body, heart and breathing continue.
This might lead to a coping method of perceiving of the body as an ´other´. Seperating mind and body.
The advantage of this is that "making peace with the body" can then symbolise making peace with all 'others´, thus releaving anxiety.
As unexpressed emotions end up as tensions in the body, this might kill two birds with one stone and reduce awkwardness and .

This illusion of the separation of mind and body as a coping method can lead to strange persuasions like the existence of soul as a kind of mental body, tying anxiety neatly into the birth of religion and mysticism. Since growing up in a religious environment may lead to more stifling of self-expression (step 3) and the permanent presence of an imagined other, who has some form of authority over you, we can see how religion can be a self-reinforcing system.
This might explain the independent rise of religion and authoritive gods/god itself in so many cultures and the relative succes of stifling self expression in religions and cultures.
For instance it might also shed light on the self-reinforcing nature of growing up in other unattainable or impractical high ideals or morality and therefore the existence of morality, ethics and laws at all. And as an extreme how anxiety fuels woke-culture and left radicalism in a non-religious society, that gets its ideals from humanism. The reaction to being different is (partially correct if 2a or 2b are pertinent) seen as the reason for anxiety, it focuses on the second step in stead of the first. But in practice any regulation is a stifling of self-expression, which will lead to more shame of being different, unacceptance, increasing 2a and 2b. Unless it is paired with many honest expressions of self-doubt of not being able to maintain the high ideals..

The unavailability of help (2b), which in childhood might very well kill you, is for adults a remnant fear and can be treated with exposure.
Due to the gradually changing nature of a healthy body, and the often inadvertent growing of self-reliance a once rational fear is with a mature and healthy body and mind suddenly a irrational fear.
This is why a culture should stimulate the development of skills needed to survive alone in various environments..
A test of self-reliance, even a symbolic one, like growing your own food, a good campingtrip or maybe even a solo trip in a city might cure this base for the anxiety in a single blow and result in people who are not anxious when alone, but anxious in groups.
This might be an insight into the mentality of "preppers" and the importance of the second amendment to some americans.
It might also explain the populairity of self-reliance or survival baseda games, like minecraft or stardew valley, in an increasingly anxious culture and the need felt of having "vacations", other than as a status symbol.

[axeslinger]

I've been on a spiritual journey for 7 years since 2013, having delved into all manner of healing modalities, books, and concepts, but this one video singlehandedly has answered so many questions I've been unable to grasp and approach in an adequate manner for YEARS. I've suffered from depression for half my life, been in and out of therapy that was both costly and unhelpful, and this video was a game changer! I was so fascinated that I took notes on this video about all that I realized as it came up, and it took me an hour to fully dissect this! I'm amazed! I think I found my newest quarantine hobby. Cheers!

[onechristwoncity]

As a baby I’m glad you made the distinction relatable for me and the expectations of my caregiver

[Nothing_Left_Unsaid]

Thank you so much for your website, I have read dozens of your articles about Lacan. The article on Obsessional Neurosis and Lacan reading of the Rat Man case is still probably my favorite. Great to see a new video. I am a philosophy major working on my BA. Lacanonline has definitely been one of the most helpful resources for understating one of the most challenging and enigmatic figures in the field of psychoanalysis. Whether you agree with him or not, whether you see him as a genius or a madman, maybe a little of both, reading and engaging with Lacan is a hugely rewarding exercise in its own right. The language is dense at times and poetic at others, and always requires patience- but, when you finally start to make a connection between what Lacan was talking about and some experience of your own, something really special happens, and a space opens up for more conscious, more active and more purposeful living. For me at least, thats what Lacan has given me - along with plenty of headaches and not too few bouts of panic. Looking forward to more content like this

[ancientfuture]

I agree with this. If I delve into my own feelings/experiences of anxiety...it's exactly like this. Usually when having small talk with somebody or when I'm just about to teach a dance class, and ESPECIALLY when I'm asked to freestyle dance in front of somebody because I feel "I never know what they want" and I cannot stop myself from "feeling compelled to give that thing that I don't know what they want...to them" and so, I fumble, dance clumsily and walk away berating myself. 😕

[futerko]

fantastic explanation of why we're constantly trying to fill our holes with inadequate substitute objects

[NessieAndrew]

I've not felt anxiety for years. 7 or so. Now it never comes in the form of anxiety, just pressure. And it always goes away after I act upon it and I do what I have to do. Then it doesn't even crystallize as a long term memory and it's gone forever.

[TheEleatic]

This is interesting. We live and exist in the presence of others—alive or dead, present or absent, hated or loved.

[jontaylor]

I have never heard someone explain Lacan so clearly

[melasonos]

Wow this was profoundly impactful for me on an emotional and intellectual level. Thanks for your work.

[canneliagordur]

It is funny because in french the book isn't Titled "anxiety" but "anguish".

[A-temporal]

It’s interesting how a mistranslation can go a long way when talking about such great ideas. In French Lacan actually uses L'angoisse to talk about what the cited book here refers to as "anxiety", the word can be more precisely translated to Anguish or Distress which to me changes the whole concept of what he developed on this seminar. Further so, Lacan never named the seminar, the published transcripts and hence the titles, are the work of Jacques Alain-Miller, Lacan’s pupil and son in law (true story) and even in Spanish, Millers second tongue, the seminar is translated to Anguish, not anxiety. This is relevant because Lacan had a great interest in the meaning of words and how these operate on the unconscious. To talk about anxiety may be one thing, relevant to modern psychology maybe, but to talk about anguish... now there is something to dive into and more relevant to psychoanalysis

[creative]

I’m surprised this didn’t mention anxiety as a fear of death. I’m new to Lacan. This video was fascinating, thanks

[indigoali]

Anxiety is being treated like a stranger in your homeland, anxiety is the watchful eye of surveillance telling you everything you just did and judging it. Anxiety is created when others personalize every insult coming your way, Anxiety occurs when your security is constantly threatened, anxiety is created through society constantly telling you you aren’t enough(look at the prices of homes on Long Island, do you have enough?) Anxiety is the state in which they(the powers that be) want you in. If there isn’t anxiety they will create it. Anxiety is knowing you are being watched.

[Grenouilleone]

Anxiety is the tought of not being sufficient...
The best psychanalyst I ever read on the subject is C.G. Jung. The relief of anxiety requests that we dare entering into the dark silence of our mind since stars can only be seen at night....❤

[Lionpsyche]

Desire and its enigma. Thank you for the video!

[vidividivicious]

This was amazing, thank you for making such great content

[jakecarlo]

Shots fired on CBT! Excellent, thanks!

[johnarmlovesguam]

Occasionally during the day I feel my stomach careening down a roller coaster. Two nights ago I suddenly lept out of bed and ran outside in a panic. I wasn't thinking about what others expected of me. Anxiety fuels me. Stay busy.

[atis]

You've just helped me realize and understand the confusion I've had for many years about my childhood phobias. This was also very helpful to me as a writer, as all kinds of scenarios were flooding my mind during it. THANK YOU