Ansiedades: relatos e sentidos da experiência ansiosa

Abstract

Anxiety is a phenomenon inherent to the human experience, being a primary emotion that serves the function of self-preservation. Nowadays, anxiety has become increasingly prominent due to different relational demands that trigger intense emotional suffering, as well as exposure to stressors such as the proliferation of diseases, natural disasters, and/or those caused by human actions, etc. However, there is a predominance of viewing anxiety primarily through the hegemonic biomedical lens, categorizing it at a nosological level and conferring upon it the status of an "unbearable" illness. As a result, there is a perception that anxiety is something negative and must be cured/eliminated as quickly as possible. From this perspective, the subjective experience, the meanings attributed, the way the person recognizes themselves in this process, and even the historical and social context are disregarded, so the person is not understood in their complexity. In light of this, this research aimed to describe how people understand their own anxious experiences and to explore the outcomes resulting from different ways of experiencing and assigning meaning to anxiety. Additionally, it sought to expand the view of the anxious experience from the perspective of Laura Perls. To achieve these goals, we conducted qualitative-phenomenological research, in which Amedeo Giorgi's phenomenological method was applied, and the discussion was grounded in the phenomenological perspective and the Gestalt approach. During the identification of meaning units, nine constituents were identified, including: anxiety related to negative sensations, anxiety related to performance, anxious experiences affecting how one relates to others and the world, ambivalent feelings towards medication, and broadening the understanding of anxiety. We concluded that the research objectives were met, supporting the understanding that the anxious experience can manifest in different ways, considering that anxiety is configured as a relational phenomenon, manifesting as a response to environmental demands. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the complexity of situations that make up the human experience. In this sense, we emphasize the relevance of considering the intersectional dimensions that permeate a person's experience and modify their way of perceiving themselves and relating to the world. Furthermore, it was possible to deepen some concepts of the Gestalt approach from Laura Perls' point of view, also highlighting her importance for the consolidation of Gestalt therapy, despite having written few materials, and also having undergone a process of invisibilization within the approach.