What is the difference between normal worrying and an anxiety disorder?
Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Daniel Hall-Flavin, M.D., and colleagues answer.
Answer:
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps you cope with tense situations. It also helps you focus on the task at hand and motivates you. Almost everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. Typically, anxiety goes away when the triggering event is over.
However, anxiety is a problem when it becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, such as riding an elevator or leaving your house. People with anxiety disorder experience excessive fear and worry that are out of proportion to the situation. These feelings are more intense and last longer than normal feelings of anxiety.
If you find it difficult to control your worry or stress or if anxiety interferes with your daily activities, consult your doctor or a mental health professional. If you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, effective treatment is available.
2 comments:
I don't know where you get your graphics from, but they spectacularly illustrate these posts - wonderful.
shrink...it's called being on the 'mooch'! I love it and maybe I have a sort of photographer in me. Thanks for the compliment.
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