We experience a wide range of mental problems. In their essence, they are feelings of
mental disorder and instability, doubt and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, feelings
of worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration and depression. We experience a sense of
disorder and instability, doubt and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, feelings of
worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration and depression about the conditions, demands and
challenges of existence, our own mental and physical existence and the world around us,
how to understand and deal with them.
We experience a sense of disorder and instability about the conditions of existence, our
own mental and physical existence and development and the world around us, society,
community, family and relationships, our position and role in them, about job, career and
employment. We experience a sense of everything around us constantly changing, nothing
remaining stable, in the same order and conditions, everything around us constantly
changing in less than clear and obvious, in unpredictable and unanticipated ways. We
experience a sense of doubt and confusion about reality, perceptions, sensations and
feelings, what lies behind them and how to deal with them. Doubt and confusion about what
is taking place within and around us, conditions, situations, issues, problems and
difficulties, we face and how to deal with them. About how things work, underlying forces,
processes and developments, causes and effects, and our own role and responsibility in
them.
We experience a sense of uncertainty and insecurity about tomorrow, the future, change,
changing conditions, demands and challenges, and our ability to deal with, respond and
adjust to them. We experience a sense of being uncertain, unsure, undecided about
ourselves, others and the world around us, about family, friends, jobs, employment, our
future. We experience a sense of being insecure, lacking confidence, unsure of ourselves,
our ability to deal with the demands and challenges of existence, what we face and what we
have to deal with.
We experience feelings of worry, being nervous, uneasy, concerned about conditions,
situations and circumstances we face and we are confronted with. Being worried, nervous,
uneasy or concerned about ourselves or others, health, welfare, finances, income, jobs,
employment, career, future, country, society, community, family, relationships and so on.
We experience feelings of fear, of being afraid or frightened of danger. Being afraid or
frightened of pain or discomfort, uncomfortable or painful situations, conditions,
circumstances, issues, demands and challenges. Being confronted, faced with or having to
deal with issues, conditions, situations, circumstances, demands or challenges we feel we
will not be able to handle, deal with, respond or adjust to.
We experience feelings of fear, fear of failing, making errors, mistakes or falling short,
saying or doing the wrong thing, being misunderstood, judged or criticized, being ignored,
not recognized or being irrelevant. Fear of being afraid, scared, apprehensive,
frightened, terrified, nervous about issues, conditions, situations, demands and
challenges, jobs or tasks we are confronted with, we face and have to deal with, not
understanding and not being able to deal with them. Fear of change, changing conditions,
demands and challenges, fear of death, fear of flying, fear of the future, financial,
emotional, job, employment, career, family, relationship and so on.
We experience feelings of stress, being pressured, harassed or overwhelmed by conditions,
situations, issues, demands and challenges, jobs and tasks. We experience feelings of
stress, harassed or overwhelmed by changing conditions, demands and challenges, by what we
face and have to deal with. We experience feelings of anxiety, being anxious, uneasy,
apprehensive or nervous about what we face and what we are confronted with. We experience
feelings of frustration, feeling frustrated, aggravated, irritated, upset, disturbed or
annoyed about not succeeding or accomplishing what we set out to do. Being frustrated
about developments, conditions or situations not taking place or developing as anticipated
or expected. Feeling frustrated about ourselves or others, about failures, errors and
mistakes.
We experience feelings of being depressed, miserable, unhappy, dejected, low,
disheartened, discouraged, sad or despondent about our own failures and perceived
inability, lack of relevance and recognition by others, in the family, community, society,
in relationship, on the job, etc. We experience feelings of depression, feeling dejected,
disheartened, sad, glum, down, despondent, discouraged, dejected or hopeless. Feeling
helpless, not being in charge or in control of our financial or social conditions.
Depressed about situations, conditions or circumstances changing in unanticipated and
unexpected ways. Failing to succeed in what we set out to do or accomplish. Feeling
powerless and helpless, the victim of external conditions, circumstance or forces.
Depressed about persisting doubt and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, rejection and
lack of recognition. Depressed about social isolation, lack of communication, interaction,
cooperation with others, being misunderstood and rejected.
The first question is, what are the nature and causes of the mental problems we experience
and feel, and how do they arise? What are the origins and causes of our experience and
feelings of mental problems, experience and feelings of mental disorder and instability,
doubt and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety,
frustration and depression develop? The nature and causes of mental problems will be
discussed in the next section, Nature and Causes.