Anxious, anxiety, worry, nervous, stress. People use these terms often and may not realize that an anxiety disorder does not feel the same as the unease that most people experience occasionally.
If you have an anxiety disorder you know that you are not having occasional nagging worries. If you are anxious, it’s not a one time every few weeks kind of a thing.
Anxiety disorders can take over thoughts, impacts your feelings, and affect how you behave. Here are a few examples:
Thoughts: difficulty concentrating and racing thoughts
Feelings: irritability, feeling overwhelmed, physical aches, nausea
Behaviors: avoidance, isolating from others, neglecting responsibilities
Even though some people may not understand how intense anxiety is, know there are many people who resonate with you and empathize with your challenges.