Difference between General Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

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What is Anxiety and how severe it is or is it severe always for health? Well, the answer depends on how much to be defined first. Speaking about common anxiety, which is present in almost 100% of human being, it helps everyone get out of harmful way. It preps us for any important event and signals us to take action.

There are situation when the question of how much anxiety takes us to the other end of issues, i.e. extreme cases of anxiety which can be persistent and uncontrollable. It is very overwhelming as well and can impact lot of things in day to day routine.

Excessive, irrational everyday situation is very bad and disabling for anyone. When anxiety which is positive in itself starts to interfere with our daily life and activities, we are looking at totally different problem altogether called anxiety disorders.

How to identify when you have common anxiety and when you have anxiety disorder? For this we have to understand the basics of both and then start to look at fine difference points.

Researchers say that anxiety disorder is genetic and it runs in families. There is a biological connect to the anxiety disorders and can impact generations together.

Behavior Changes between Normal Anxiety and Anxiety Disorder

Normal Worry	Anxiety Disorders
Worry does not change your job and social life, etc.	There is significant change in normal life routine and social interactions.
As per you, the concerns can be handles later and the situation can be controlled.	Feel of everything is going out of control.
There is only mild distress and that too temporary.	The situation is very distressful and seems like permanent.
The situation has an specific reason because of which the anxiety and distress is present.	No specific reason and it can occur anytime, anyplace without warning.
Topics are very specific and limited in numbers.	Topics of worry can be very broad and large in numbers.
There are no physical changes or symptoms experienced by sufferer except mild discomfort.	There are many symptoms like hypertension, sweat, pain in different areas of body, etc.

Typical examples of both situations

Everyday Anxiety	Anxiety Disorder
Paying daily utility bills, credit card issues, new job, speech to deliver, breakup, etc.	The issue and worry cannot be unsubstantiated and it impacts daily life.
A feeling of embarrassment or becoming conscious in a not so friendly situation.	Feeling of seclusion and dejection of social life due to perceived non-acceptance.
Become nervous with sweat on the occasion of test or presentation.	Out-of-nowhere anxiety attacks.
Dangerous object, place, or situation makes you fearful. This is what getting anxious is.	The fear and situation both cannot be explained and often imaginary.