- Some anxiety from time to time is to be expected and is healthy; it can help motivate us and help get us out of tough situations. But when anxiety lasts for weeks or months, develops into a constant sense of dread or begins to affect everyday life, the person may have an anxiety disorder.
- Anxiety is a normal reaction to fears or danger. While it can be uncomfortable at times, it’s something we all encounter. However, anxiety can start to cause a lot of problems if it comes up often, comes up when there really isn’t any danger, or if it is hard to manage.
- A very common myth is that anxiety disorders are the same thing as problems with stress. Anxiety and stress problems can have a lot in common but the difference is that in an anxiety disorder, the symptoms are extreme and don’t go away once the stress is over.
- If anxiety is just part of being human, how can it also be an illness? Feeling anxious before someone writes an exam may not feel good, but it’s manageable and you feel better when the test is over. So, that isn’t a disorder, just a normal reaction to an upcoming stressful event.
- Anxiety disorder is no one’s fault; anxiety disorder is a treatable illness.
For some additional information and helpful guides, please see the please see the “Anxiety Resources” node that follows.