Living in a Frightening World

Contemporary life in the USA means living with anxiety that is often fueled by everyday interactions with family and friends, as well as with strangers and antagonists. Communication via electronic media and social media apps can be difficult to decipher, adding to the sense of unease, as disagreements escalate into explosive confrontations. Anxiety varies according to the individual, the situation, and the context, and has resonance with earlier developmental experiences that may be rekindled in the present.