There is a significant difference between ‘normal’ anxiety and an anxiety disorder. ‘Normal’ anxiety is short-lived…the apprehension, worry, or nervousness that goes along with ‘normal’ anxiety usually occurs after experiencing some stressor, like relationship problems, job pressure, financial problems, etc. However, ‘normal’ anxiety usually goes away when the stressor is lifted, and your functioning stays […]
Why Does Facing Your Fears Reduce Your Anxiety?
Facing your fears in a gradual manner is the most effective way to overcome your fears and phobias, and is called exposure. This involves exposing yourself gradually and repeatedly to your feared object or situation, in a safe and controlled way. Eventually, you learn how to “ride out” and tolerate the anxiety and distress until […]
How & When Does Anxiety Become A Disorder
So this is a two-part question. First we will answer the question, when does anxiety become a disorder? Anxiety disorders are diagnosed by psychiatrists utilizing the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, with DSM-5 as the latest version (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Anxiety disorders are clinical diagnoses, meaning they are diagnosed based on […]
Anxiety: A General Overview
Anxiety is experienced by most people. Anxiety is defined in a general sense as fear. Anxiety/fear is a necessary component of survival, as the flight-or-fight response is hard-wired in our brains to help us deal with acute danger in the environment…when we perceive danger, we either run away from the danger, or we stop to […]