Anxiety and Phobias PaperNameInstitutionInstructorCourseDate Anxiety and Phobias PaperOne of the movies that portray a character with an anxiety disorder is This Is Us, which is an American television series which is based on two parents Jack and Rebecca, and their three children who are Randall, Kate, and Kevin (Fogelman, 2016).
Kevin and Kate were born on the same day with Jack and Rebecca Pearson who are whites also adopting a third child Randall who is an African American. The show portrays Randall as a black man struggling with stress and anxiety, which leads to a panic disorder (Fogelman, 2016). His brother drops everything he is doing to support Randall after he has a panic attack.
This is a display of a positive response from close relatives and family members in helping individuals with anxiety disorders regardless of the differences, which may be present within the family members (Fogelman, 2016).Irrational Beliefs and Attitudes That the Characters DisplayedIrrational beliefs and attitudes involve the values, which an individual holds regardless of contradicting information and evidence against the beliefs. Certain occurrences and cognitive processes relating to the knowledge and understanding of the beliefs may maintain these beliefs (Comer, 2018).
Randall had been struggling to put everything together and trying to cope with anxiety from a young age. However, he is unable to hold it anymore and is overwhelmed by the panic attack experiences (Comer, 2018). Irrational beliefs and attitudes are also seen when Randall has a panic attack where his brother Kevin does not offer him any support in addressing the issue. This indicates that Kevin may have different values, which are against helping individuals from other races (Comer, 2018). Later on in life, Kevin helps Randall after getting a panic attack, which is a good display of affection for his brother. Jack and Rebecca adopted an African American child as their third child, which may be faced with a lot of criticism due to the differences in their skin color (Comer, 2018).
Kate also displays irrational beliefs and attitudes, which are seen with her struggles with food and weight issues after her first show as a singer. Kate believes that singers need to be thin and that she has problems due to her current weight. This leads to the singer to implement restrictive behaviors, which include working out all day and limiting her food intake (Comer, 2018). What Way Did These Beliefs/Attitudes manifest In the Character’s Behavior?Kate’s behavior indicates irrational beliefs/attitudes when she implements restrictive behaviors to limit her eating habits and working out all day (Dowbiggin, 2009). Kate also proceeds to attend Overeater’s Anonymous meetings due to her thoughts that she has real weight issues because she is a singer (Fogelman, 2016). She also attacks Madison arguing that she does not have a real problem since she is thin. Kate’s thoughts of being fat are attributed to an eating disorder, which may not be true.
Irrational beliefs and attitudes also manifest in Kevin when his relationship with his girlfriend his negatively impacted due to his desire to attain pain relieving medications (Dowbiggin, 2009). Kevin is addicted to opiods, which are drugs used to manage pain and is determined to get more medication from his doctor regardless of the effect this has on his life. This leads to Kevin to miss important events in his life (Fogelman, 2016). How Does Stress Tie into Anxiety? What Are Some Ways To Modify The Stress And Reduce Anxiety?Stress develops as the body responds to a threat in certain situations, which may lead to serious healthcare issues, which include poor concentration, blood pressure, and sleeping problems (Comer, 2018).
If stress is not effectively addressed, it can also lead to anxiety, which is a mental health disorder. Stress interferes with the normal functioning of the body, which is similar to anxiety, which negatively impacts the body (Comer, 2018). These two health issues may affect individuals from time to time, which can be triggered by certain events leading to frustrations. However, if both are not effectively addressed, they may lead to more serious issues, which may require medical help (Comer, 2018).
Some of the ways to modify the stress and reduce anxiety include understanding how the body reacts to different situations, which lead to stress. This will help individuals in anticipating their reaction as well as handling these situations effectively (Dowbiggin, 2009). Stress can also be modified through life style changes, which is important in addressing the symptoms of stress, which can be combined with medical interventions. Some of the lifestyle changes can include healthy eating habits, reduced alcohol consumption, and adequate rest (Dowbiggin, 2009). What Form of Therapy Can Assist the Character?Anxiety disorders can be addressed through different strategies and interventions, which include cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been indicated as the most effective form of therapy in addressing anxiety disorders (Wells, 2013).
This form of therapy can be effective in addressing panic disorder, which has affected Randall by addressing the negative perceptions and thoughts as well as the surrounding environment (Wells, 2013). This therapy is also important as it also addresses how individuals behave and their reaction in different situations, which may be attributed to trigger anxiety. Thoughts largely impact the way individuals feel and react to different situations which has contributed to the issues affecting Randall (Wells, 2013). The basic principle of addressing anxiety disorders is taking into account individual’s attitudes and beliefs, which contribute to the negative emotions.
The cognitive behavioral therapy is aimed at changing how individuals think which has a connection to how they feel (Wells, 2013). ReferencesComer, R. J. (2018). Abnormal psychology (10th ed.) New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Dowbiggin, I. (2009). High Anxieties: The Social Construction of Anxiety Disorders. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 54(7), 429-436.Fogelman, D., (Producer/Director). (2016). This Is Us NBC.
United States. Rhode Island Ave. Productions.Wells, A.
(2013). Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: A Practice Manual and Conceptual Guide. Somerset: John Wiley ; Sons Incorporated.
