anxiety
Last updatedWhat to know
People with anxiety disorders (also called clinical anxiety) can anticipate danger in every situation, and their worries detract from everyday functioning. Anxiety disorders are serious conditions that often require professional treatment in order to manage symptoms.
“Anxiety disorder” is a category of psychiatric diagnoses that includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and social anxiety; eating disorders are often comorbid with other mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. When someone says they “have anxiety,” they might be referring to any one of these specific conditions or generalized anxiety disorder, or they might be referring to the feeling of anxiety generally. If necessary and relevant to coverage to mention, it’s important not to assume or infer an official diagnosis.
Anxiety disorders may involve persistent feelings of uncertainty and guilt. In addition, they can have neurological and physical symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and gastrointestinal distress.
Anxiety is sometimes used interchangeably with stress or fear, but the terms aren’t quite the same. Anxiety (clinical or everyday) involves anticipation, whereas stress is a reaction. Fear is apprehension of a specific, imminent threat (e.g., falling off a ladder), while anxiety tends to cover more ambiguous or long-term concerns.
When deciding whether to mention a specific diagnosis of anxiety, there are several things to consider. Is it pertinent to your story? Is it a formal diagnosis you’ve verified? Do you have the person’s permission? People’s experiences of anxiety change, as do their comfort levels with sharing, and yet your story will persist; weigh carefully whether to report specific diagnoses.
Additional resources
- 50 Differences That Make a Difference: A Compendium of Frequently Confused Term Pairs in Psychology (Frontiers in Education)
- APA Dictionary of Psychology (American Psychological Association)
- The one word you shouldn’t say to someone with anxiety or depression (Huffington Post)
Summary
Anxiety refers to apprehension of a potential yet distant threat. When someone says they “have anxiety,” they might be referring to a specific anxiety-related condition or generalized anxiety disorder, or they might be referring to the feeling of anxiety generally. If necessary and relevant to coverage to mention, it’s important not to assume or infer an official diagnosis. When deciding whether to mention a specific diagnosis of anxiety, there are several things to consider. Is it pertinent to your story? Is it a formal diagnosis you’ve verified? Do you have the person’s permission?