Anguish facts for kids
Anguish is a very strong feeling of deep sadness, pain, and worry. It's like feeling really bad inside, often when something difficult is happening. It's connected to feelings like misery, dread, and feeling hopeless or very down.
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What Causes Anguish?
Many things can make a person feel anguish. Sometimes, unfair treatment or being hurt by others can cause this deep sadness. Being bullied or feeling ashamed can also lead to anguish. People might feel anguish when their life isn't going the way they hoped, and they feel stuck or unable to change things.
Anguish and the Law
In law, "mental anguish" is a term used to describe emotional pain and suffering. Sometimes, if someone is hurt by another person, they can receive help or payment for their physical and emotional pain. This is often called "pain and suffering" in legal cases. This can include feelings like fear, worry, sadness, or trauma.
For example, a former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, once said that we should protect people who are suffering from anguish, not the people who cause it.
Anguish and Health
In medicine, anguish is similar to feeling very anxious. It can make you feel irritable, worried, or have nightmares. It can also make it hard to sleep.
People who have certain mental health conditions, like feeling very sad for a long time, might experience anguish. Long-lasting pain (pain that lasts more than six months) can also cause anguish.
Some brain conditions, like dementia, can cause people to feel anguish.
When people are very sick or dying, they might feel anguish. This can be physical pain, but it can also be emotional or spiritual. They might cry, moan, or talk about their fears or things they regret.
Scientists have found that a common medicine, paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen), might help with the pain of anguish.
Anguish and How We Think
Anguish can affect our minds and bodies very strongly. The emotional pain from anguish can be just as difficult as physical pain. It can lead to feelings of intense worry or even panic.
A famous thinker named Sigmund Freud, who studied how our minds work, believed that anguish is a powerful feeling. He thought it could either bring people together or pull them apart in families and groups.
Anguish in Ideas and Beliefs
Anguish is also an important idea in philosophy, which is about big questions of life.
Some philosophers believe that being truly free can cause anguish. This is because when you are free, you have to make choices, and those choices can be scary or difficult. A French philosopher named Jean-Paul Sartre wrote that we can't escape anguish because it's a part of being human.
Other thinkers believe that if life seems meaningless, it can be a source of anguish.
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See also
In Spanish: Angustia para niños
