Anxiety vs. Anxiety Disorder: The Differences, The Basics, & The Effects On Your Life

Sofia Isabella Flores
Sep 9, 2020
6 min read

Anxiety: You have probably heard it from a celebrity on Instagram, in a tweet, or from a friend when talking about the stress in his/her life. But, despite its growing presence in individuals throughout societies worldwide, many do not fully understand what this feeling is and how it affects the masses.

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of uneasiness or fear, often in relation to an event that has not yet occurred.

When one feels "anxious", he/she is usually nervous about an upcoming event; this can be a test, presentation, performance, interview, the first day of school or work, or any and all other important events that one is awaiting.

"If I experience anxiety, is there something wrong with me?"

No, you are 100% normal, and there is absolutely nothing wrong or odd about experiencing a sense of anxiety once in a while - especially when under stress or awaiting an important event. (Sorry to break it to you, if you were hoping to somehow feel special for it.)

In fact, anxiety is innate in all human beings. For all of my fellow history and science nerds, you will know that evolutionary processes have brought us all to where we are now at this point in time. At its most basic and fundamental level, anxiousness stems from the "fight or flight" response that the body uses to protect itself when in danger. This originated in early humankind as a means of running away from danger, i.e. large animals, enemy tribes, weapons, or any source of threat. Through natural selection, one’s anxious tendencies in a time of distress assisted in his/her survival, thus making it an ideal characteristic for future generations and passing down through genetics.

Without the anxiety in this vital human trait, it is highly unlikely that mankind would have prevailed through history.

Anxiety Today:

Although most of us have never experienced running away from a tiger or sprinting back home to our lovely cave home, the mass majority of people still experience feelings of anxiety; remember, the "fight or flight" response has been gifted to us through our genetic makeup and remains present to this day.

Being that times have changed drastically, anxiety and it’s prevalence in our lives has, too.

Anxiety is represented in multiple ways, however, some are more common than others.

If you have a final exam in English class tomorrow worth 10% of your grade, you might feel nervous or restless while both waiting to take it as well as awaiting your score.

If you have a job interview to prepare for, you might find yourself in a state of fear as the day approaches.

Why is that?

Being nervous will only make you jittery and perform below expectations, right?

Well, not necessarily.

The matter of the fact is that you want to do well with your task; whether it be a test, interview, new setting, or what have you, the goal is to succeed. Thus, you worry about what could happen if you were to fail.

This same occurrence is evident in modern-day life and death situations; these include car accidents, kidnappings, and any circumstance in which we as humans feel endangered by our current settings.

If you are swimming in the ocean, and a shark suddenly begins to circle, you will likely execute one of the following reactions: grab a surfboard or whatever sturdy possession you may have with you and challenge the shark once it approaches you. You will fight the threat and defend your life. Other individuals would become overpowered by a rush of strength and speed, thus swimming for the shore with a swiftness that they have never experienced before. This is known as flying or fleeing from the threat.

In both scenarios, an immediate overproduction of adrenaline is released throughout the body in the attempts to overpower human deficiencies. (No, this does not make you superhuman; rather, you will not be fazed as much by pain, and you will make rash decisions at the moment to avoid a slow hesitation that could mean the difference between living and dying.)

"What does anxiety feel like? Am I having an anxiety attack?"

If you are scared about being in a crowded room, and you meticulously spot all exit routes, feel your hands turn sweaty, fail to fully catch your breath, find your words escaping you, and/or you wish you could somehow take hold of time and fast forward until you are back at home, it is likely you are experiencing an anxiety attack. (In this case, specifically, social phobia would be accurate.)

Anxiety attacks can also parallel themselves almost identically to a heart attack. (It is not fun thinking that you are twelve-years-old and suffering from a cardiovascular difficulty; trust me on this.) Severe anxiety attacks can cause extreme shortness of breath, painful tightness in the chest, and the inability to speak. This can occur immediately after the chosen method of "fight or flight", as you can now grasp the reality of the danger you were in; having an anxiety attack is a more severe form of experiencing feelings of anxiety. However, if it is caused by a rational and genuine threat, it is still considered perfectly safe and categorized as an aspect of life.

"When does having anxiety become a problem? Do I have a disorder?"

Alright, this is where it gets juicy.

Those who suffer from an anxiety disorder, i.e., social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, or general anxiety disorder, do not need a conventional life-threatening event to experience high levels of anxiety.

A student who suffers from social phobia, for instance, only needs to think about being in a classroom with multiple peers to become fearful; this individual might have to hastily exit the classroom when it becomes too loud; or, in more extreme cases, this individual may begin to do online or home-based schooling to feel more at ease and limit their time in populated groups.

Now, I would love to share my knowledge regarding all known chronic mental & anxiety disorders with you, but I fear that what I have learned from colorful conversations with my psychiatrist and countless hours scouring the Heavenly creation that is Google may not exactly constitute the professional opinion and diagnosis that you deserve. Oh, well.

However, I can offer all of the insight I possess in regards to my own personal diagnosis - severe panic disorder. (Remember when I said being under the impression that you are having a heart attack at twelve wasn't very fun?)

Well, to put it simply, I struggle with severe anxiety on a daily basis. The simple task of making breakfast can send me spiraling; (not to be dramatic) I am easily overwhelmed if given too many options of cereal flavors, bread, etc. (I am vegan and don't eat any added sugars, so that has almost completely solved that problem, though; you'd be surprised how much that limits your choices in the grocery store sometimes.) Nonetheless, there are countless other situations that bring me immense anxiety. (Anxiety does not discriminate. How considerate, right?) My biggest struggle, by far, has been my journey in school.

I was diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder in 8th grade and have been on a rollercoaster of emotions since. Being a lover of history, English, reading, writing, and learning in general, I love the idea of going to school every day and being taught new concepts. However, my anxiety often hinders my ability to remain in class and enjoy my education. For instance, I can become extremely nervous at any point during a lecture, test, or presentation - no triggers necessary. All of a sudden, I feel my pulse begin to race; my hands start shaking; then, it's off to the nearest isolated room I can find. (I guess this whole isolation has its perks, then.)

Sadly, this is the bottom line of having a disorder:

Symptoms can be unprovoked and appear at any given time.

This probably sounds incredibly depressing and impossible to solve, sorry.

While it is difficult, anxiety and stress can be managed through numerous methods; medications, therapy, meditations, self-reflections, a personal and slightly embarrassing blog…(insert awkward laugh here), and countless other routes. Simply talking to friends and trusted loved ones works for many people. For some, however, relief is not linear, clear, or easy to find. Medical aid is the most trustworthy and effective solution. But that does not mean that you are any less of a person.

Seeking help can feel just as terrifying as the anxiety itself; but, you are not alone. Millions of people struggle from some form of mental illness throughout the course of their lives.

And if you do happen to have an anxiety disorder and cannot accept it, try to think of it like this: Every human has anxiety; you just happen to have an abundance of it. Hey! You have so much of one thing! No one else has that same amount! You are so special! Woo hoo!

Take away the stigma of having a "problem" and instead think of it as having a unique ability that is unlike anyone else's.

After all, your anxiety is your own. If you cannot get rid of it entirely, learn to embrace it. Let yourself and those close to you come to terms with it and use it to your own advantage.

You are not alone. There are endless support systems that work solely to make you feel better.

Keep on fighting.

In love & light,

Sofia F.

May you always feel unique but never alone.