Isn’t Anxiety Normal?

The question comes up a lot. Whether you’re a person with an anxiety disorder, questioning if the issue may be occurring in your life, or just wondering about a diagnosis for someone you love, you’ve probably asked yourself at least once, “Wait… I thought anxiety was just a normal thing everyone gets… right?”

Actually, there is a kind of anxiety that’s typical, manageable, and well, normal, or not requiring therapeutic intervention. But there’s another type of anxiety that often requires help.

Here at Mind and Body Medicine, LLC, we take all kinds of anxiety seriously, especially the kind associated with a disorder. Tamara McDonald, DNP, wants to help you understand the difference between common feelings of anxiety and a mental health issue, as well as how to manage both.

Anxiety: an emotion or a disorder?

Experiencing anxiety from time to time is normal. That’s because anxiety is an emotion, and the things that make one person anxious might not bother someone else. For example, you may love rollercoasters but are terrified of speaking in public. You may have a friend who feels the exact opposite.

However, the emotion of anxiety comes and goes with certain experiences, stimuli, and times of your life. But there are instances where anxiety becomes more than just an emotion. It can be a disorder that makes it hard for you to live your day-to-day life.

How to tell when your anxiety is more than a feeling

The feeling of anxiety is normal and shouldn’t cause you too many problems in the long run. But anxiety disorders cause more problems. For example, these are some of the signs that your anxiety has moved from a normal emotion to a mental health issue.

You feel anxiety and dread often or all the time without cause.
You notice that your anxiety is getting in the way of you living your life (e.g., you avoid going to a party you really want to attend because you feel socially anxious).
Your anxiety has seemed to worsen, rather than subsiding, with time.
Your job or school performance, relationships, sleep, or other aspects of your life suffer because of your anxiety.
Substance misuse, overuse of caffeine, and other things severely worsen your anxiety.
You notice regular physical symptoms (muscle tightness, fatigue, etc.) as a result of your anxiety.
You have trouble concentrating or thinking straight because of anxious thoughts and feelings.

There are multiple types of anxiety disorders. Yes, generalized anxiety disorder is a common issue. Still, some individuals suffer from a fear of a specific thing (called a phobia), experience extreme discomfort in social situations (social anxiety), or even experience regular panic attacks (panic disorder). There are also symptoms specific to these disorders.

How anxiety and anxiety disorders are treated

Feelings of anxiety usually don't require treatment, but it never hurts to talk to a therapist. They can provide a sympathetic ear as well as a way to receive real, practical advice from someone who doesn’t have a stake in your situation. Even a few sessions could make a world of difference.

The biggest difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder, however, is that the latter doesn’t disappear over time. It’s a chronic condition with which you’ll live and manage for the rest of your life. This may seem scary, but with proper treatment, it truly becomes like anything else in your life: just a part of you that informs (but doesn’t define) who you are.

Anxiety disorders are treated with behavioral therapy as well as medications. You’ll learn how to manage better and control your thoughts and feelings, and be able to avoid the spiral that so many with anxiety disorders struggle against every day. You can also seek out activities, like meditation, that make it easier to manage your anxiety on your own.

Anxiety can get better

Yes, anxiety can be a normal emotion, but you shouldn’t be struggling so much that it makes it difficult to enjoy your life. This means there’s a deeper issue at play. And with the help of a health professional, you can start to feel like yourself again.

Book an appointment online or call us at our Boise, ID, office today. We look forward to connecting with you.