Human Anxiety About the Future: Mental Health, Education, Career, and Social | 2023

HUMAN ANXIETY ABOUT THE FUTURE: MENTAL HEALTH,

EDUCATION, CAREER, AND SOCIAL

Authors:
Annisa Aulia Rahma 1 st , Fauziah Nura'in Ramadhani 2 nd , Tatu Zakiyatun Nufus
Psychology faculty of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract
Anxiety is a normal thing that happens to every human being. Worry, and anxiety about the future,
education, career, and society can trigger someone's mental disorders. Incompatibility with the plans that
have been made can be a factor that triggers the person's depression. Mental health has a huge influence on
our lives, and controlling emotions is very important to reduce excessive anxiety. The method we use in
this essay is a literature study, namely by using several research results that have been carried out related
to anxiety about the future, mental health, education, career, and social issues.

Keywords: Anxiety about the Future, Mental Health, Education, Career and Social Affairs.

Introduction
As humans, we have certainly experienced anxiety, anxiety about the future,
education, career, and society. However, excessive anxiety can also have a bad impact on
us. Worry that involves feelings of high anxiety about a future event or situation is called
Anticipatory Anxiety. Basically, anxiety is something that is normal for every human
being, because it involves feelings and emotions that exist within us. One form of anxiety
that we often feel is anxiety about education, career, and social issues. Thinking about
something we don't know about in the future makes us overthink.
The reason why we chose this title is because we believe that every human being
has experienced anxiety about the future, and we also hope that we can anticipate it all.
Therefore, in this essay, we will discuss anxiety, mental health, education, career and
society. With the hope that we can better understand how anxiety about education, career,
and society is related to the future.
Prior to this research, the author had read the journal written by Wulandari, A.
(2020). entitled Teenagers' anxiety in facing the future. from Hang Tuah Psychological
Journal, 1(1), 1-7. Apart from that, the author also read journals written by Umayah.
(2008). entitled Future Orientation of Adolescent Children in Relation to Parental

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Discussions. From TSAQOFAH Journal. And the author also read the journal written by
Arifin, MZ, & Nur, A. (2020). entitled The Relationship between Future Anxiety and
Subjective Well-being in Final Year Students. From Tadris Mathematics Journal, 3(2),
133-140. Furthermore, the author has also read the journal written by Aini, NF, &
Hidayah, N. (2019). entitled The Relationship between Future Anxiety and Academic
Achievement in Final Year Students at the Faculty of Psychology, UIN Maulana Malik
Ibrahim Malang. from Journal of Islamic Psychology, 6(2), 1-14. The last one was written
by Fauziah, R. (2019). entitled The Relationship between Future Anxiety and Career
Dissatisfaction in Final Year Students of the Guidance and Counseling Study Program at
the Indonesian University of Education. (Thesis, Indonesian Education University,
Bandung, Indonesia).

Literature Review
Every human being has experienced anxiety about the future. However, every human
being will definitely experience anxiety about the future in their life. Because anxiety can
reduce human well-being. The following are welfare that decreases due to anxiety,
namely:
a. Anxiety About the Future
According to Bandura, the ability to plan for the future is one of the basic
characteristics of human thinking. Every human being must have plans for the
future, but we as humans definitely have anxiety. Anxiety occurs if what we have
planned does not materialize, and so on. This makes a person overthink the future,
causing unwanted symptoms, for example, depression.
According to Nurmi, future orientation can be interpreted as a person's
perspective on their future. How someone views their future will be reflected
through hopes, standard goals, plans, and strategies. Designing or planning for the
future is something that every individual must do. Plan something as well as
possible, with as much detail as possible regarding your goals and hopes for the
future.
b. Mental health

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 Human Anxiety About the Future: Mental Health, Education, Career, and Social | 2023

Mental health is very influential in facing the future because in facing the
future we need to be mentally strong. We will not get everything we have planned
for the future. Therefore, you really need a strong mentality to face it. To avoid
symptoms of mental instability.
c. Education
Anxiety about the future can affect students' academic achievement because
they feel unsure about their choice of major, career prospects, and personal abilities.
This can result in lower grades, delays, or even dropping out of college.
d. Career
Future anxiety can lead to dissatisfaction with jobs because they do not match
their talents, interests, or life goals. Anxiety can also cause stress, fear, and a
tendency to avoid career challenges or opportunities. This can have an impact on
reducing their performance, productivity, and creativity.
e. Social
Anxiety about the future can hinder social relationships with other people
because they feel insecure, uncomfortable, or insecure with themselves. Anxiety
can also lead to isolation, loneliness, and depression. This can have an impact on
reducing their quality of life, happiness, and mental health.

Methodology
This essay uses a type of literature study research with analytical research
methodology in literature studies. By using several research results that have been carried
out previously, such as journals and articles regarding the influence of anxiety on the
future, mental health, education, career, and society. This essay discusses several factors
or aspects that can cause human anxiety about their future.

Results and findings

Anxiety, Mental Health, Education, Career, and Social Affairs are closely related.
Because, if we experience excessive anxiety that can disrupt our mental health, it can
affect our future in the future. For example, in the world of education and career. Mental

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health has a huge influence on our lives and the environment around us, so controlling
emotions is very important. A small example of controlling emotions is reducing anxiety,
because excessive anxiety can cause mental health disorders, such as depression. Apart
from that, anxiety can affect the future, education, and career. Anxiety can also affect
society.
Anxiety felt by individuals can spread into society and impact various aspects of
social life. For example, someone who experiences excessive anxiety may tend to isolate
themselves, reduce social interactions, or even have difficulty communicating with
others. This can hinder the formation of healthy social relationships and affect people's
psychosocial well-being.
Apart from that, the impact of anxiety on mental health can also affect productivity
and performance in the work environment. Employees who experience high mental stress
tend to be less focused, less creative, and can experience decreased productivity. This
certainly has an impact on their career development and the possibility of achieving
professional goals.
In an educational context, anxiety can also be an obstacle to the learning process. A
person who is overly anxious may have difficulty concentrating, remembering
information, or even dealing with tests or evaluations. This can impact academic
achievement and opportunities for success in a desired career.
To overcome the negative impact of anxiety, stress management strategies and
social support need to be implemented. Education about mental health, promotion of
psychological well-being, and access to adequate mental health services are also
important steps in society.
The importance of recognizing the interrelationship between anxiety, mental health,
education, career, and social aspects drives the need for a holistic approach in
understanding and overcoming these challenges. By understanding and managing anxiety
well, individuals can build a strong foundation to reach their full potential in various
aspects of life.

Conclusion

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 Human Anxiety About the Future: Mental Health, Education, Career, and Social | 2023

Excessive anxiety can affect mental health, which can cause depression in a person.
Apart from that, it can also have an impact on education, career, and society. This has a
very bad impact on a person because it can destroy all the plans that have been planned
for the future.
Therefore, maintaining emotional stability is very important. Because if we can't
control it then we ourselves will destroy the plans we have made for the future and this
can have a bad impact. Worry and anxiety will always be within us because it is a normal
thing that happens to every human being.

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Human Anxiety About the Future: Mental Health, Education, Career, and Social | 2023

References
Aini, N. F., & Hidayah, N. (2019). Hubungan antara kecemasan masa depan dengan
prestasi akademik pada mahasiswa tingkat akhir Fakultas Psikologi UIN Maulana
Malik Ibrahim Malang. Jurnal Psikologi Islam, 6(2), 1-14. ← Journal
Arifin, M. Z., & Nur, A. (2020). Hubungan antara kecemasan masa depan dengan
kesejahteraan subjektif pada mahasiswa tingkat akhir. Jurnal Tadris Matematika,
3(2), 133-140. ← Journal
Fauziah, R. (2019). Hubungan antara kecemasan masa depan dengan ketidakpuasan
karier pada mahasiswa tingkat akhir program studi bimbingan dan konseling
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. (Skripsi, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia,
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Umayah. (2008). Orientasi Masa Depan Anak Remaja Hubungannya dengan Diskusi
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Psikologi Hang Tuah, 1(1), 1-7. from
https://hangtuah.ac.id/id/2023/08/15/kecemasan-remaja-dalam-menghadapi-masa-
depan/. ← Artikel

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