Understanding The Difference Between Typical Worrying and an Anxiety Disorder

You’re fretting over the details of your presentation. You’ve lost a couple of nights of sleep. You’re worried that the committee won’t approve your funding request. On game day, you’re nervous, and your heart is racing. Do you have an anxiety disorder, or are these just normal jitters?

“While worrying can be uncomfortable, it usually doesn’t interfere significantly with daily activities or functioning. However, an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and significantly interfere with daily life…”

— Katharine Chan, MSc, BSc, PMP

This article provides a thorough guide for you to recognize typical worrying and signs of an anxiety disorder. 

Typical Worrying vs. Anxiety Disorder

The difference between typical worrying and an anxiety disorder mainly lies in the types of concerns, intensity, duration, and impact on daily life. 

Types of Concerns

Worrying is usually about very specific issues or events, such as an upcoming exam, a job interview, or a health concern. With an anxiety disorder, the concerns tend to be more pervasive and generalized. There isn’t often a specific focus. It may involve an overwhelming sense of dread or fear.

Intensity

Worries have a rational basis and are proportionate to the situation. People can typically control and manage their concerns through problem-solving or stress-relief techniques. 

On the other hand, worrying for someone with an anxiety disorder is often disproportionate to the actual threat or situation. This kind of excessive worry creates excessive and irrational fears. The condition is accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, dizziness, and gastrointestinal issues.

Impact on Mental Health

Worrying can make falling or staying asleep more difficult, resulting in poor sleep quality and increased daytime fatigue. When you’re worried, you’re more irritable, may experience mood swings, and have a general sense of unease. You may have trouble focusing on tasks, which can affect your productivity. However, once you settle the specific concern, the impact of worrying on mental health also diminishes.

An anxiety disorder can cause severe insomnia, resulting in chronic sleep deprivation and exacerbating mental and physical health problems. Anxiety is often associated with other mood disorders like depression. The persistent fear and worry can lead to feelings of hopelessness and sadness. 

People with anxiety may avoid situations that trigger their anxiety. This avoidance can lead to social isolation, reduced personal and professional growth opportunities, and feeling trapped.

Anxiety can lead to panic attacks, which are sudden and intense periods of fear accompanied by physical symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

Someone with an anxiety disorder may also have distorted thinking patterns, such as catastrophizing (expecting the worst possible outcome) and excessive fear of unlikely events, further perpetuating the cycle of anxiety.

Duration

Worrying is temporary and situational. It typically goes away once the specific concern is resolved or over. An anxiety disorder is chronic and persistent, lasting for weeks, months, or even years.

Effect on Daily Life

While worrying can be uncomfortable, it usually doesn’t interfere significantly with daily activities or functioning. However, an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and significantly interfere with daily life, affecting work, relationships, and overall quality of wellness. It is usually more challenging to control and manage anxiety without professional help, which may include therapy, medication, or other interventions.

Examples of Worrying and Having an Anxiety Disorder in Different Situations

These examples demonstrate how worrying and anxiety can look and feel in different situations. 

At the Workplace

• Upcoming presentation: Worrying feels like wondering whether your presentation will be well-received by colleagues and superiors. An anxiety disorder involves feeling intense dread, experiencing physical symptoms like sweating, shaking, or a racing heart weeks before a presentation, and constantly thinking about potential failures or negative feedback.
• Meeting Deadlines: Worrying is having concerns about meeting tight deadlines and the potential impact on your performance review. Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include feeling persistent, overwhelming fear of not meeting deadlines, leading to sleepless nights, difficulty concentrating, and inability to relax even when you are making progress.
• Job Security: Worrying looks like feeling uneasy about potential layoffs or restructuring in the company and how it might affect your position. However, someone with an anxiety disorder would constantly imagine worst-case scenarios like losing their job and being unable to find another one, even if there’s no indication that there will be layoffs.

In Relationships and Social Interactions

• Misunderstandings: Worrying involves thinking about a recent argument with a partner or friend and whether it has caused lasting damage to the relationship. An anxiety disorder in this situation looks like excessive rumination over a minor disagreement, fearing it will end the relationship. It also involves physical symptoms like stomachaches and headaches due to the constant worry.
• Social Events: Worrying looks like feeling nervous about attending a social gathering and whether you can interact comfortably with others. Someone with an anxiety disorder would feel severe dread about attending social gatherings. They may have avoidance behavior, such as making excuses to skip events and experiencing panic attacks at the thought of social interaction.
• First Dates: Worrying feels like getting worked up about making a good impression on a first date and whether there will be a connection. Having an anxiety disorder feels like intense fear before the meet-up. It may lead to physical symptoms like nausea and possibly canceling the date due to overwhelming anxiety about making a bad impression.

With Potentially Life-Threatening and Dangerous Situations

• Health Issues: Typical worrying involves getting concerned about symptoms you’re experiencing and thinking whether they might turn into something more serious. However, someone with an anxiety disorder would have a persistent and irrational fear about health. They would be constantly assuming the worst despite medical reassurance. They may frequently visit doctors, spend excessive time looking up symptoms online, and undergo unnecessary tests.
• Flying: Worrying looks like being concerned about the safety of a flight, especially if there have been recent reports of turbulence or mechanical issues. An anxiety disorder would involve an extreme fear of flying that leads to avoiding travel altogether. Experiencing panic attacks at the thought of getting on a plane and spending days or weeks worrying about an upcoming trip.
• Natural Disasters: It’s normal to worry about an earthquake or hurricane occurring, especially if you live in a region prone to such events. However, with an anxiety disorder, it means constantly checking weather reports and news updates about potential natural disasters. Creating elaborate emergency plans and feeling unable to focus on daily tasks due to an intense fear of an impending disaster.

Tips on How to Stop Worrying So Much

Worrying too much can be overwhelming and negatively impact the quality of your life. Here are some tips to feel more in control and stop those thoughts from lingering too long.

Practical Tips

• Set Aside “Worry Time”: Schedule a specific time each day to focus on your worries. For instance, between 3:00 and 3:15 pm, you will spend this time thinking of things that keep you up. This designated time can help contain worrying and prevent it from taking over your day.
• Write It Down: Journaling can help you process your worries and view them more objectively. Writing down your concerns gives them a dedicated space to live. It can also free your mind to focus on other things.
• Combat Negative Thoughts: When you find yourself worrying, ask whether your concerns are realistic and if there is evidence to support them. This can help you gain perspective. Replace negative thoughts with positive, affirming statements to counteract worry and build self-confidence.
• Limit Information Overload: Reduce exposure to news and information that can trigger or worsen worries, particularly if they are beyond your control. Unfollow social media accounts and unsubscribe to news outlets that only talk about negative events.
• Focus On What You Can Control: Accept that some uncertainty is a natural part of life. Focus on what you have control over and let go of what you don’t.
• Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge that everyone worries and that it’s okay to feel this way sometimes.

Cognitive and Behavioral Strategies

• Focus on Problem-Solving: Identify the specific problem you’re worried about and brainstorm potential solutions. Taking proactive steps can reduce feelings of helplessness.
• Set Realistic Goals: Once you’ve figured out how you want to manage the problem, break down the solution into smaller, manageable steps. Every task you accomplish gives you a sense of control and reduces worry.
• Incorporate Gratitude Into Your Day Regularly: Focus on what you are grateful for. This can be little things like the beautiful flowers in the yard or more significant ones like someone who cares about you. This can shift your perspective away from worries and towards positive aspects of your life.
• Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises, can help you stay present and reduce the impact of worrying thoughts.

Lifestyle Adjustments

• Get Adequate Sleep: Ensure you’re getting enough restful sleep each night. Not enough or poor quality of sleep can make you worry more and increase anxiety levels.
• Eat Nutritious Foods: A balanced diet can impact your overall mood and energy levels and help you to manage stress more effectively.
• Limit Caffeine and Alcohol: Both can increase feelings of anxiety and make it harder to manage worrying thoughts.
• Stay Active: Regular physical activity can help reduce stress, improve your mood, and make it easier to manage worrying thoughts.

Seeking Support

• Talk to Someone: Sharing your worries with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can provide relief and new perspectives.
• Get Professional Help: If worrying turns into chronic anxiety that disrupts your ability to do activities of daily living, we recommend seeking professional help. Therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, or other forms of counseling can be effective in managing anxiety.

These tips can help you manage and reduce worrying and create a more balanced and less stress-filled life.

References

Fulghum Bruce, D., PhD.  (2022, November 9). How Worrying Affects the Body. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/balance/how-worrying-affects-your-body.

Intermountain Health. (2023, October 25). What’s the Difference between Worry and Anxiety?. Intermountain Health. https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/whats-the-difference-between-worry-and-anxiety.

Rosenblatt, K., MA, LPC, LMHC. (2022, July 14). Worry vs Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference. Talkspace. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/worry-vs-anxiety/.

Marques, L., PhD. (2020b, October 27). Do I Have Anxiety or Worry: What’s the Difference?. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/do-i-have-anxiety-or-worry-whats-the-difference-2018072314303.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. (2022). Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets out of Control. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad.

Robinson, L., Smith, M., MA, & Segal, J., PhD. (2024, August 3). How to Stop Worrying and End Anxious Thoughts. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/anxiety/how-to-stop-worrying.