The 10 most common sources of anxiety in the family

Being with the family is usually seen as something pleasant and positive, but in some cases, this experience becomes difficult to manage on a psychological level, for two reasons: the the fact that we spend a lot of time with these people, and the way in which those ties have an impact on our emotions due to the importance we give to those people people.

In this sense, many of these phenomena linked to the family can generate great anxiety in people, or even contribute to anxiety disorders and mental health disorders derived from this discomfort.

• Related article: "What is anxiety: how to recognize it and what to do"

The main sources of anxiety in families

This is a summary of the main triggers for anxiety problems when these arise mainly from the family context.

1. Family crises due to arguments

The crises caused by constant family discussions generate great discomfort in the family nucleus and are one of the most common and common sources of anxiety in all types of families, especially when there is no person capable of exercising the role of mediator.

There are many families who often argue to resolve their differences and daily problems; however, when these discussions become frequent and even daily, the members of the group may end up developing anxiety states that affect their mental health.

These levels of anxiety will depend on the seriousness of the discussions that take place within the family and the degree of sensitivity that each member of the family may have.

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2. mistreatment

Cases of abuse are one of the characteristic features of dysfunctional families and constitute a very negative practice even if there is no physical violence.

Abuse in the family can be physical, emotional or psychological and can be exerted from parents to children, between spouses, from children to parents or between siblings, in any case it supposes a modality of interaction capable of generating short-term anxiety and long-term psychological sequelae.

Anxiety is one of the most common disorders in cases of abuse and this is suffered by both the victim of abuse (such as, for example, the mother), as well as the children who witness these experiences.

3. economic instability

Cases of economic instability are a source of great suffering for those families who have difficulties making ends meet or see how their economy is increasingly precarious.

Many parents can develop anxiety disorders witnessing how the family economic situation is increasingly unstable, and this can also be suffered by children of all ages.

An unstable or difficult economic or financial situation almost always becomes a concern permanent that many people can experience as a sword hanging by a thread over their heads.

4. separations

Parental separations and divorces are almost always a traumatic event that both parents and children must get used to over time and overcome as best they can.

There are many children who present mental health problems once their parents decide to separate, since they personally experience how little by little their family falls apart and, with it, what they considered a safe environment.

This catastrophic vision that children can have generally does not correspond to the experience of parents, who sometimes experience the situation as something positive and liberating, which contributes to the discomfort of the little ones being underestimated.

In addition to that, if during the divorce process the parents argue with each other in front of the children, the latter can also be significantly affected.

• Related article: "Divorce with children: how can we face its implications?"

5. Competition and jealousy between siblings

Jealousy and competitive relationships between siblings create a very negative environment in families, especially if parents encourage these types of harmful relationships or they establish comparative grievances between children.

Anxiety in these cases can be generated in parents who see how their children have a relationship too competitive or on the children themselves, considering that their parents love their children more siblings.

6. Conflicts with in-laws

The political family is the family of our partners, brothers, sons and daughters, that is, the people who become our close family once our relatives contract ties with they.

Although many families are able to be friendly with their in-laws, in other cases there may be some problems, especially with fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, sons-in-law or daughters in law

If in a couple, the woman's parents do not get along with her son-in-law, it is possible that he could develop anxiety problems, as well as the woman, seeing that her husband does not get along with his parents of her

7. Family crises triggered by severe illness

The crises that arise in the family triggered by a severe illness of a relative can also be sources of very high anxiety for those people who suffer for their loved one.

The illness of any relative affects us all and more the closer this person is, Seriously affecting our mental health, especially if it is a long illness that has us suffering for several months or years and in suspense for their health.

The case of having older parents is also similar, since the children suffer daily when they see that their father or parents are losing faculties and no longer fend for themselves.

8. Addictions in a family member

When in a family there is a member or several that presents addictive behaviors of any type, their loved ones can end up suffering combined problems belonging to two of the sources of anxiety that we have seen: the anguish produced by having a relative who has developed a disease, on the one hand, and in some cases, the fact of being victims of mistreatment, on the the other. Especially when we talk about alcoholism, episodes of domestic violence are very common.

9. Lack of communication with children

The lack of communication with the children is one of the main sources of conflict, arguments and bad atmosphere with the parents, especially when they are in the stage of adolescence.

To avoid the appearance of anxiety in both parents and children, it is advisable to develop social skills linked to assertiveness, that encourage communication and with which we can overcome any communicative block speaking calmly and without getting angry.

10. traumatic events

Traumatic events that occur fortuitously such as a traffic accident, a natural catastrophe, cases of violence external towards a family member or cases of sexual violence can be the source of great discomfort in the members of the family family.

Suffering for the life and well-being of a loved one can also generate among their relatives a high level of anxiety that in the most serious cases must be treated by a health professional psychology.