The Neurotic State. Passive Emotions

The Descent into Passivity

Once fear and anxiety have paralyzed us, we run the risk of falling into the second phase of the emotional spiral.

This stage, known in psychology as the neurotic state, is characterized by the appearance of much more passive and internalized emotions.

Here there is no longer energy to fight or flee, but rather a process of self-criticism that sinks us even further.

It is a dangerous state because it takes away our hope and makes us believe that there is no possible way out of our situation.

The Impact of Failure. The Emergence of Guilt and Shame

When the door of opportunity finally closes and failure becomes a fact, anxiety transforms.

You no longer feel the anguish of what might happen, because what you feared has finally happened.

Instead, a new range of emotions emerges, hovering between guilt and deep shame.

These passive emotions no longer focus on the future, but on the recent past and your perceived incompetence.

The Internal Dialogue of Self-Criticism

Guilt and shame manifest themselves through a constant and very destructive internal dialogue of self-criticism.

You begin to tell yourself: "I never should have tried; I didn't have the skills."

Or also: "If I had submitted better work, or if I had tried harder, maybe I would have made it."

You feel socially embarrassed at the thought of what others will say: "I told everyone and now they're going to laugh at me."

You may even feel that you have disappointed your loved ones, like your partner who was excitedly awaiting your success.

The Downward Spiral. The Decline into Depression

If you allow yourself to be overcome by this intense guilt and shame, you begin to fall into a dangerous downward emotional spiral.

This is the process that leads many people to fall into a deep emotional hole known as depression.

It is no longer a passing emotion, but a state in which you feel completely sunken and powerless.

The Neurotic State. A Hole of Hopelessness

At this point, you feel like a completely useless person, good for nothing, and a failure.

You lose all hope, believing that there will never be another chance and that you have lost everything you could have obtained.

You remain trapped at the bottom of this hole, convinced that you have no value as a person.

It is a very serious mental state, from which it is difficult to get out without help or the right tools.

Summary

After the paralysis of fear, you enter the neurotic state, characterized by much more passive emotions. Energy disappears, giving way to a process of self-criticism.

When failure materializes, anxiety transforms into guilt and shame. These emotions manifest themselves through an internal dialogue of destructive self-criticism.

This process of guilt drags you into a downward spiral towards depression. You end up feeling useless and a failure, trapped in a hole of hopelessness.