Young adults coping with anxiety symptoms without professional help

Vol.9,No.3(2015)

Abstract

Presented study is focused on the process of experiencing and coping with anxiety symptoms in emerging adults not willing to seek professional help. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using grounded theory. A model was created in which a central position is occupied by respondents‘ efforts to suppress the symptoms, to hide them from others and to avoid confrontation with anxiety. The feeling of hopelessness underlies the process. It is present as an initiator of anxiety symptoms, as a part of the symptoms and as a result of unsuccessful attempts to eliminate them. Respondents‘ coping mechanisms of reducing hopelessness are described. The results are useful when eliminating the barriers preventing young adults from getting professional help, in psychotherapy and in future research.

Nela Wurmová, Terapeuti Brno, Czech Republic e-mail: nela.wurm@gmail.comRoman Hytych, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic e-mail: romhyt@gmail.com


Keywords:
anxiety disorders; emerging adulthood; grounded theory; help-negation; suppression of emotions
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