Norma has had a diagnosis of Stage IV breast cancer for several years. Her condition has been stable but is terminal. It is impossible to know how long she may live. Norma phones the doctor's office frequently and insists on having tests more often than her physician feels she should. The rest of the staff express to the social worker, Fran, feeling that Norma is a "difficult patient." Norma confides to Fran that she used to work as a nurse, and she saw how paternalistic physicians could be. She says her biggest fear is that she will not be told she is dying until "the end." Because of this, "all I can think about is if I am dying or not. All day, every day, I am mentally checking for any changes in my body." Norma is experiencing _________________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Norma's constant preoccupation with her mortality and the meaning of her life in the face of terminal illness reflects existential anxiety. This form of anxiety arises from confronting fundamental aspects of existence, such as death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. Norma's behavior and fears are centered around the inevitability of death and her desire for autonomy and truth in facing it, which are core themes in existential anxiety.

Norma Has Had a Diagnosis of Stage IV Breast Cancer