Anxiety
Lloyd works in a bureaucratic setting. He is a mid-level manager who struggles with deadlines, budgets, and personnel. The pressure to perform is constant and every project is urgent. Lloyd’s supervisor is not supportive. Lloyd has only 4 days to complete a major project, which is behind schedule. His next performance review is due shortly after. His last performance review was satisfactory, but not sufficient to keep him competitive.
Lloyd is married with 2 children. He has a heavy mortgage, and serious consumer credit card debt. Lloyd’s youngest child has developmental problems, costly to manage.
Edgy, unable to sleep well, Lloyd eats poorly and has for a few months been distant in his relationship with his wife. He confides in no one, and has developed a temper with his oldest child.
Lloyd is anxious and has been for quite some time.
What might Lloyd be telling himself and strongly believing?
- “It’s not fair that I am accountable for unreasonable project demands.” Unstated hidden meaning: “This should not be this way.”
- “I can’t stand this pressure.” Unstated hidden meaning: “This is too much, too hard, and too difficult, which it shouldn’t be.”
- “It is terrible that I have to live this way.” Unstated hidden meaning: “Life should be more convenient for me.”
If Lloyd strongly believes this thinking, how would he feel? I suggest that his thinking contributes significantly to his anxiety. He can control his thinking even if he can’t control his office or family. Since it is unlikely that his supervisor will change, or that his family issues will immediately improve, maybe he would do well to correct his crazy thinking so that he can better manage his life.
Links on 24-7 Help:
- About Thinking
- Getting In Touch With Your Emotions
- Irrational Beliefs Guide
- The Big Five Crazy Beliefs
- Rational Emotive Imagery
- Distinguishing Disturbed From Non-Disturbed Thinking
- Being Disturbed About Being Disturbed
- It's So Awful I Can't Stand It
- Self-esteem
- Should It Be?
Links to other sites:
