The difference between managing an anxiety disorder and feeling anxious is the difference between managing clinical depression and feeling sad. As humans, we experience emotions in response to certain stimuli; in a stressful situation or time, it makes sense that we may feel anxious, but this does not mean that the situation is “giving us anxiety,” as this connotes an entirely separate set of circumstances. Just as feeling sad is an appropriate response that can be expected in certain situations, such as the death of a loved one, feeling anxious is an appropriate response in other situations. Anxiety disorders, like clinical depression, are not appropriate responses in that the emotions or physical symptoms they provoke are out of proportion to the situation at hand.
The difference between feeling anxious and having an anxiety disorder is that people who suffer from anxiety disorders experience long periods of intense feelings of fear or distress that are out of proportion to real events, according to Health Canada. This does not mean that an individual is over-reacting or being dramatic, but that their experience and perception of the situation is different.
Anxiety disorders are considered a mental health condition, and Health Canada estimates that one in 10 Canadians will be affected by an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. These conditions are treatable, so it is important to both properly identify symptoms of a disorder and to seek help from qualified professionals.
Specific anxiety disorders include panic disorders, which include episodes of unprovoked terror with accompanying physical symptoms, commonly referred to as “panic attacks;” phobias including social phobias and specific phobias of objects or environments; obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders have an impact on an individual’s behaviour, thoughts, emotions, and physical health. Many people often suffer from more than one anxiety disorder, and may also be affected by depression, eating disorders, or substance abuse.
Anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of varying biological and individual factors, such as brain function and chemistry. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, many anxiety disorders run in families and are likely genetic.
Just as the expression “I’m so depressed” has largely fallen out of common use because we recognize that it is a misrepresentation of how we are actually feeling, as well as an invalidating statement to someone who is truly struggling with clinical depression, the expression “That gives me anxiety” needs to go the same way. We may just be trying to tell someone that we’re stressed, or that we’re nervous about something, but for someone with an anxiety disorder, this feeds into the stigma attached to many mental health conditions and may prevent them from feeling able to access help and resources.
For more information, the Government of Canada, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Canadian Psychiatric Association can all be accessed online.