Perhaps you recognize this feeling.
It feels like something is wrong, but you can't explain what – you feel an inner tension, restlessness, or an ill-defined discomfort.
Most people would call this anxiety. And most often, they think they need to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
But this is precisely where the fundamental misunderstanding begins.
In clinical reality, anxiety is often not the primary cause of suffering, but rather a superficial sign that something inside remains unresolved.
Psychologist Olesya Luraschi puts it very precisely:
"Anxiety is not a problem – it is a solution."
At first glance, this may sound paradoxical. But looking closer, this idea aligns with the ever-growing body of psychological research on emotional awareness, self-regulation, and the understanding of inner processes.
Anxiety as a reaction, not a cause
In clinical practice, anxiety rarely appears "out of nowhere."
Most often, it arises when a person experiences an inner signal that is unclear, unidentified, or not yet processed.
This corresponds to research on emotion differentiation – the ability to accurately recognize and distinguish one's emotional states. People who lack this clarity more often experience anxiety, especially in social or stressful situations.
Simply put, something is happening inside – but you don't yet have access to what it is. You are experiencing "emotional blindness."
When emotions are not clearly recognized, they don't just disappear.
They continue to operate in the background – most often not as clear feelings, but as:
- tension
- inner restlessness
- a sense of pressure
- an undefined feeling that "something is wrong"
And the longer this feeling remains unidentified, the stronger it becomes.
Because the mind dislikes uncertainty.
Why does the mind start to "overthink"?
When emotional information is unclear, thinking kicks in.
The mind begins to create versions, scenarios, explanations.
This manifests as:
- constant overthinking or rumination
- worry
- catastrophizing
- constant "scanning" of the environment
Perhaps this is especially noticeable in the evenings or before important events – when thoughts race in circles and it feels like you need to "figure something out".
But this is not the real problem.
It is the brain's attempt to deal with uncertainty.
In other words, thinking becomes a substitute for feeling.
But because the real emotion remains unidentified, thinking does not resolve it – it only reinforces it.
Anxiety as an information signal
From a neuropsychological perspective, emotions are not noise.
They are information.
They convey data about:
- a potential threat
- unmet needs
- inner conflicts
- anticipated results
If this information is not consciously perceived, the system "turns up the volume".
Anxiety is one of the ways it does this.
It increases alertness. It narrows attention. It creates a sense of urgency.
A feeling arises that you need to do something – even if you don't know what.
Why does suppression only reinforce anxiety?
The natural impulse is to try to reduce anxiety by controlling thoughts or suppressing feelings.
"Don't think about it." "Calm down." "Think rationally."
But in practice, this often has the opposite effect.
When emotions are not allowed to be experienced:
- they linger longer
- become less clear
- more often manifest as general anxiety
This is why many people say:
"I don't even know why I'm anxious – I'm just anxious."
What really reduces anxiety: emotional clarity
One of the most consistent findings in modern research is this:
The ability to accurately identify emotions reduces their intensity and helps regulate them better.
People who can more clearly distinguish their feelings:
- react more flexibly to stress
- less often choose harmful coping mechanisms
- experience fewer anxiety symptoms
Even at a physiological level, identifying emotions reduces the brain's reaction to fear.
The important change does not happen when anxiety "disappears".
But when it becomes clearer.
What changes when you can identify your feelings
When an inner, undefined feeling becomes concrete, the whole system reorganizes.
Compare:
"I feel anxious" and "I feel anxious about tomorrow's presentation"
The second option:
- reduces uncertainty
- identifies the source
- turns a general state into a concrete experience
And when something becomes concrete – you can work with it.
Anxiety in a world that thinks too much and feels too little
The modern environment greatly facilitates thinking, but rarely cultivates emotional awareness.
We are taught:
- to analyze
- to optimize
- to plan
- to act
But we are rarely taught:
- to recognize our inner states
- to sit with unpleasant feelings
- to process complex emotions
This lack of balance creates conditions in which thinking is reinforced, while emotional clarity weakens. And known anxiety becomes the bridge between the two.
How to stop feeling anxious?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions in a psychologist's office.
And it is still too early to ask it.
A more precise question would be:
"What is this anxiety trying to tell me?"
This does not mean you have to remain anxious. It means giving it enough attention to understand what it is pointing to.
A shift in perspective
When anxiety is understood not as a defect, but as a signal, your perspective changes.
The goal is no longer to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
What becomes more important is:
- increasing emotional awareness
- recognizing inner states
- allowing emotions to be experienced
- reducing inner uncertainty
And often, anxiety begins to decrease simply because it is no longer needed.
In conclusion
Anxiety arises when something important remains unprocessed.
It intensifies when that signal is unclear.
And it weakens when the inner experience becomes visible, concrete, and understood.
Seen this way, anxiety is no longer an enemy.
It is a system trying to draw your attention to something that is not yet fully understood.
And most often, if you stop and listen, it shows you very precisely where to begin.
Sources:
- Kashdan, T. B., Barrett, L. F., & McKnight, P. E. (2014). Unpacking emotion differentiation: Transforming unpleasant experience by perceiving distinctions in negativity. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(1), 10–16.
- Lee, K. S., et al. (2022). Furthering the language hypothesis of alexithymia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
- Hoemann, K., et al. (2021). Emotional granularity increases with experience sampling and relates to well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 704125.
- Edwards, E. R., et al. (2020). Distinguishing alexithymia and emotion differentiation: Conceptual and empirical considerations. Personality and Individual Differences, 152.