Anxiety tends to be without focus; the anxious person doesn't know whether to blame himself or other people. He isn't sure whether it is the current year or the Administration or a change in climate or the atom bomb that is to blame for this undefined sense of unease.
　　It is clear that we have developed a society which depends on having the right amount of anxiety to make it work. Psychiatrists have been heard to say,“He didn't have enough anxiety to get well,” indicating that, while we agree that too much anxiety is inimical to mental health, we have come to rely on anxiety to push and prod us into seeing a doctor about a symptom which may indicate cancer, into checking on that old life-insurance policy which may have out-of-date clauses in it, into having a conference with Bill’s teacher even though his report card looks all right.
　　焦虑通常是没有目标的。心情焦虑的人通常并不知道到底该责怪自己还是别人, 他说不出自己这份无名的不安,到底应该算在谁的头上, 是流年不利, 是上司不好, 是气候多变, 还是原子炸弹。
　　很清楚, 我们现在的社会, 就是靠有那么一点焦虑来推动发展的。曾有人听见心理医师这么说," 他缺乏足够的焦虑感, 怕是不容易好。 "这意思是说, 尽管大家都认为, 过度焦虑有害心理健康, 可我们还是得依靠焦虑心情, 催使我们有一点症状就去看医生, 生怕那是癌症的先兆, 催使我们去查查很久前签下的人寿保险单, 看看是不是有什么条款已经过时, 催使我们不时地去同孩子的老师谈谈, 尽管他的校行报告看上去一切都很正常。

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