How To Distinguish Worry From Anxiety

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:19-23

DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist or trained mental health professional of any kind. Everything I write is based on my own personal experience with coming to terms with my differences and adjusting to how my brain works. Please do not take my word as gospel of any kind – these posts are only meant to help further open the dialogue around mental health and dispelling the stigma around mental illnesses and disabilities.

Today, one of the biggest emotions that people deal with all the time is anxiety. Anxiety can manifest as specific fears—like being freaked out by heights or spiders—to generalized anxiety disorder, where folks find themselves worrying way too much about everyday stuff. Thanks to advancements in psychiatric medicine, we’ve gotten a lot smarter about mental health, and now we have a bunch of different categories of anxiety. However, even though we have advancements in understanding anxiety, there are still many people who believe that anxiety and worry are the same thing.

In this post, I hope to help clarify the distinction between anxiety and worry.

Table of Contents:

Worry and anxiety can often feel deceptively similar, especially on the surface. People frequently use the two terms interchangeably, with “I’m worried” and “I’m anxious” carrying the same weight to those around us. However, if we learn the difference between the two, we can better identify when we need professional help for pervasive anxiety or might need a change of scenery and a mani-pedi to shake loose the worry rolling around in our heads.

Living in an Anxious World

In our modern society, life happens at a breakneck speed. There is always something new happening, and with the global connection the Internet provides, there is something major unfolding everywhere. There is always something new to worry about. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 31.1% of adults struggle with an anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. Additionally, 31.9% of adolescents have had some kind of anxiety disorder.

In other words, anxiety is more prevalent than ever, affecting a significant portion of the population in various aspects of their daily lives. Or at least they are getting professionally diagnosed more now than in the past, thanks in part to increased access to mental health resources and a reduction in the stigma associated with seeking help.

Anxiety is getting easier to recognize as society becomes more attuned to its signs and symptoms, and awareness has increased through educational campaigns and open discussions about mental health. Despite this progress, many people still do not know what distinguishes the two (worry and anxiety) and the different methods needed to combat these two states of mind. Understanding these distinctions is crucial because it can lead to more effective treatment strategies through therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes promoting mental well-being.

Characterizing Worry

Worry is a normal part of life, an instinctive reaction many experience daily. It reminds us of our commitments and responsibilities, often linked to real-world problems. These problems can be anything from an exam in class to a crucial presentation at work or a first date with someone you met on that sketchy website. In other words, all situations where uncertainty looms.

These situations can mirror anxiety, as they often suck us into a similar “doom spiral,” dragging us into fictional scenarios of everything that could go wrong. However, unlike anxiety, when the event occurs, or you successfully solve the problem, the worry dissipates into relief and a sense of accomplishment. Yet, it is important to understand that occasional worry can spur motivation, prompting us to prepare more rigorously and make informed decisions, ultimately enhancing our readiness for life’s challenges.

Characterizing Anxiety

The best way that I can describe the pervasive feelings of anxiety is like having the nerve-wracking Jaws theme song follow you around in your daily life, but only you can hear it. Even if you are having a really, REALLY good day, like Hallmark-movie-level good, that eerie feeling of dread and fear still clings to your mind, clenching your stomach and wetting your palms with sweat.

Anxiety is also more noticeable to those around you than worry. When you are anxious, you become more withdrawn and irritable, prone to lashing out at those around you, even if they are people who care about you. Fearful thoughts take over, making it harder to think rationally. You don’t mean to hurt those around you, but you do anyway.

Comparing Worry and Anxiety

When broken down into their most basic definitions, anxiety and worry can be classified like this:

Worry Is:

• a thought-based emotion that is distinguished through being situation-specific
• something that doesn’t impact a person’s physical functioning or thought process
• short-lived and once we shift our attention, diminishes or fades completely

Anxiety Is:

• that fight-or-flight response which affects people in 3 parts (emotional, physical, and cognitive)
• something that stems from “what-if” scenarios instead of concrete situations
• sometimes requires seeking out professional help and/or medication provided by a doctor

When to Seek Treatment

You might think, “Okay, I understand the difference now… but how do I know when it’s bad enough to seek professional help?”

Well, the answer is not simple. I cannot say something very specific, like “after a maximum of ten months of feeling anxious to seek out psychiatric assistance.” It is different for everyone. Anxiety can affect people at different levels. Some people come up with creative coping mechanisms that they have used long before ever considering seeking psychiatric help.

Regardless of how you “deal with” your anxiety, if you feel yourself feeling anxious more often than not, it might be a good idea to speak to your doctor, a psychiatrist, or a licensed therapist.

The Right Treatment for YOUR Anxiety

People who are knowledgeable about this issue, like the individuals I just mentioned, can assess if you are struggling with some anxiety disorder or if there is something else at play.

Additionally, some medical professionals can not only tell you what you are struggling with, they can also give you specialized methods to decrease the frequency and intensity of the anxiety you feel. These methods can range from specific kinds of therapy to daily medication designed to help balance your your brain (I am sure there is a much more technical way to say this, but I don’t want to botch the medical jargon). The treatment methods that psychiatrists prescribe are deeply unique and tailored to your specific needs, so I don’t suggest trying to mimic a treatment method that has worked for someone else you know.

I hope that this post helped to clarify the distinctions between anxiety and worry, and equip you with knowledge on how to handle anxiety, if you have it. Understanding these differences is crucial, as it empowers you to identify overwhelming feelings and recognize when they become a barrier to your daily life.

By providing insights into coping strategies and suggesting resources that can assist in managing anxiety, I hope that I can empower you in taking proactive steps toward achieving mental well-being. Remember that acknowledging your feelings is the first step, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not a weakness.

Please like, comment, and subscribe if you connected with my post and if you would like to see more of my crazy, exciting journey through life with Christ while experiencing mental illness. Every interaction I receive here means the world to me. Thank you, and God bless you!

Until next time!