Stress Escalation and the Neurotic State

The Beginning of the Process: The Self-Esteem Crisis

Stress is not a static state, but rather evolves and transforms throughout an event, and can become complicated and problematic.

This escalation process often begins with our self-esteem and the great distance we perceive between who we are and who we want to be in the future.

When the difference between our current self and our self-concept is very large, we can enter a crisis that makes us feel bad, frustrated, and stressed.

This internal gap makes us vulnerable, creating the perfect breeding ground for an external event to trigger a spiral of negative and very destructive emotions.

First Stage: Anger and Frustration

The first stage of this escalation of stress is defined by a set of feelings that move between anger and deep frustration.

We begin to feel upset when an obstacle, such as a person who competes for our same goal, gets in our way towards a desired goal.

The possibility that that person will be better or that they will get what we want is what fuels these initial, negative feelings of anger.

In this phase, although we feel discomfort, we still maintain the belief that we can achieve it and that we will overcome the obstacle that has been presented to us.

Second Stage: Anxiety and Fear

After the initial anger and frustration, and as time goes by, we begin to doubt ourselves more, entering the second stage.

This phase is characterized by the appearance of anxiety and fear, as we begin to imagine the negative consequences of not being able to achieve our goal.

We begin to think about what will happen if we don't achieve it, if we will remain stuck forever or if we will be seen as failures by our loved ones.

The mind fills with catastrophic scenarios that, although they have not happened, generate a deep fear and anguish that affects our present state of mind.

Third Stage and Fall: Guilt, Shame and the Neurotic State

The escalation reaches its critical