There is a significant difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders affect one in four adults in the United States. Normal anxiety usually occurs in reaction to some stressor. It may be a divorce, it may be an upcoming job promotion, or layoff, or fear of having an illness when you go and see your doctor.

But an anxiety disorder is different. Whereas normal anxiety is short lived, doesn’t usually interfere with your life dramatically, an anxiety disorder tends to be a chronic illness that has a significant impact on your daily function and may rob you of any joy in your life. Over 40 million people in the United States suffer from an anxiety disorder.

• Occasional worry about circumstantial events, such as an exam or breakup, that may leave you upset. 
• Embarrassment or self-consciousness in the face of an uncomfortable social situation.
• Random cases of “nerves” or jitters; dizziness or sweating over an exam, presentation, or other important event.
• Realistic fear of a threatening object, place, or situation.
• Wanting to feel confident that you are healthy and living in a safe, hazard-free environment.
• Anxiety, sadness, or difficulty sleeping immediately following a traumatic event.

• Constant, chronic, and unsubstantiated worry that causes significant distress, disturbs your social life, and interferes with classes and work.
• Avoidance of common social situations for fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated.
• Repeated, random panic attacks or persistent worry and anticipation of another panic attack and feelings of terror or impending doom.
• Irrational fear or avoidance of an object, place, or situation that poses little or no threat of danger. 
• Performing uncontrollable, repetitive actions, such as washing your hands repeatedly or checking things over and over.
• Ongoing and recurring nightmares, flashbacks, or emotional numbing relating to a traumatic event in your life that occurred several months or years ago. 

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday issues, including school, work, money, friends, and health.
• Social Anxiety Disorder: Avoidance of everyday social situations due to extreme anxiety about being judged by others or about behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or ridicule.
• Panic Disorder: Severe attacks of terror, which may feel like you’re having a heart attack or going crazy, for no apparent reason.
• Specific Phobias: Intense fear reaction that leads to avoiding an object, place, or situation such as riding in elevators or driving on bridges. Those with specific phobias typically recognize that the fear is irrational and inappropriate for the circumstance.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears and manifest as repetitive behaviors or rituals (compulsions); for example, the uncontrollable need to scrub hands repeatedly or the insistence on absolute neatness and order.
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Avoidance, detachment, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and reliving a traumatic event or experience several months or years after it has occurred.

[stays in my lane but drives slowly so i can listen in on the drama]