Externalization example: Which phrasing best demonstrates externalization?

• A. I am anxious.
• B. Anxiety is something I cope with.
• C. Anxiety causes problems in my life.
• D. I am currently living with anxiety.

Answer: (D)

Externalization means talking about the problem as something outside the person, something the person can relate to and address rather than something that defines who they are. The strongest example is phrased as “I am currently living with anxiety.” This wording treats anxiety as a condition the person has to manage, not a core part of their identity. It creates space to view oneself as separate from the problem and to approach it as something to challenge or cope with, which is the heart of externalization.

The other options keep the problem tied more closely to the self or frame it in a way that doesn’t clearly separate the person from the issue. Saying “I am anxious” makes the state feel like part of who they are. “Anxiety is something I cope with” still centers the person’s relationship to the problem but doesn’t as clearly establish distance. “Anxiety causes problems in my life” describes impact but can still imply the problem is an external force acting on the person without the same personal distancing as “living with.”