How Can I Tell if It’s Anxiety or an Anxiety Disorder

Revîv Functional Psychiatry & TMS Wellness Center Blog How Can I Tell if It’s Anxiety or an Anxiety Disorder
How Can I Tell if It’s Anxiety or an Anxiety Disorder

Feeling anxious from time to time is a normal part of life. You may feel nervous before a presentation, worry about finances, or feel overwhelmed when going through a major life change.

But when does everyday anxiety cross the line into an anxiety disorder?

At Reviv Functional Psychiatry & TMS Wellness Center in Fullerton, California, our experienced psychiatrist, Dr. Hina Sidhu, wants to explain the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder. Knowing the difference is important to get the expert care and support you need.

Anxiety: A normal emotion

Anxiety is your body’s natural reaction to stress or uncertainty. It shows up as worry, nervousness, or fear when you’re facing the unknown.  

It’s a normal human emotion that’s actually helpful, triggering your stress response to keep you alert and focused during challenging situations. 

Once the source of your anxiety resolves, so does the heightened emotion. 

About anxiety disorders

While anxiety is normal, it can get out of hand and lead to an anxiety disorder. This occurs when you continue to feel anxious long after the source of stress has resolved. The anxiety is far greater than the actual stress, or the anxiety makes it hard for you to go about your usual routine.

There are several types of anxiety disorders. Some of the more common include:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD is characterized by excessive worry about everyday life stressors, such as finances, health, work, or school. Unlike normal anxiety, GAD causes ongoing distress that affects your ability to function normally, making it hard to concentrate or sleep. You may also experience physical symptoms, such as stomach pain or neck pain. 

Panic disorder

If you have panic disorder, you experience sudden, intense panic attacks, often without warning. These episodes can cause overwhelming fear, accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, heart palpitations, or shortness of breath. 

Social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder is when you have extreme fear about social situations, often involving concerns you may embarrass yourself or be unfairly judged by others. Your fear is so deep you choose to avoid social events, affecting your daily life. 

Phobias

Phobias are intense, unreasonable fears of specific objects or situations, like spiders or heights, that are far out of proportion to the actual danger.  

Anxiety disorders are common and affect people of all ages. The good news is that they’re diagnosable and treatable if you know when to get help.

Is it anxiety or anxiety disorder?

Wondering if your anxiety is typical or a sign of a disorder? Ask yourself these self-check questions:

How you answer these questions can help you determine if you’re experiencing more than just normal anxiety and you’re in need of expert help.

Our team at Reviv Functional Psychiatry takes a holistic approach, taking your whole health into consideration when diagnosing and treating anxiety disorders. We want to get to the root of your anxiety and help you develop strategies that lessen your fear and worry. 

If your anxiety is affecting your life, it’s time to reach out for help. Call us today at 714-868-8514. We can schedule a consultation to help you understand your fears and worries and develop a plan to feel better.

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