Anxiety Quote by Suzette Boon
““Fear and anxiety affect decision making in the direction of more caution and risk aversion... Traumatized individuals pay more attention to cues of threat than other experiences, and they interpret ambiguous stimuli and situations as threatening (Eyesenck, 1992), leading to more fear-driven decisions. In people with a dissociative disorder, certain parts are compelled to focus on the perception of danger. Living in trauma-time, these dissociative parts immediately perceive the present as being "just like" the past and "emergency" emotions such as fear, rage, or terror are immediately evoked, which compel impulsive decisions to engage in defensive behaviors (freeze, flight, fight, or collapse). When parts of you are triggered, more rational and grounded parts may be overwhelmed and unable to make effective decisions.””
About This Quote
Source Research: Psychological study on trauma and decision making, 1992 (Eyzenck)
Trauma skews perception toward threat, causing heightened caution and impulsive defensive actions, which can overwhelm rational thinking.
In simple terms: Trauma makes people see danger everywhere, hurting clear decisions.
Key Takeaway
Recognize trauma’s influence and seek grounding strategies.
Themes
trauma
decisionmaking
riskaversion
cognition
Mood
empathetic
analytical
Type
clinical
educational
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- high‑stress work environments
- emergency response
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
Psychology
neuroscience
mental health
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you create safe spaces for rational thought?
- What grounding techniques help you stay present?
A Different Perspective
Trauma’s impact varies; not all anxious responses are maladaptive.
