What is the difference between anxiety and anxiety disorder? If I feel anxious, does that mean I have anxiety disorder? These are questions we hear all the time at our anxiety treatment office in Novi, MI. To help you understand how you’re feeling, check out this detailed anxiety disorder definition from Perspectives Counseling Centers.
What Is Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety disorder is a persistent feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear. It is normal to experience anxiety before a big test, a job interview or a major life event. This does not mean you have anxiety disorder. If you consistently feel anxious though, you may have anxiety disorder.
Occasional anxiety tends to go away on its own. Once you take the test, complete the interview, or get through your nervousness, you feel better. For someone with anxiety disorder, these feelings are persistent and ongoing. They may develop with no noticeable trigger, and they may get worse over time. It is this persistence that separates anxiety from anxiety disorder.
How Can I Tell the Difference between Anxiety and Anxiety Disorder?
If your anxiety is only temporary, it is most likely not anxiety disorder. If feeling anxious prevents you from accomplishing a task or engaging in social interactions, you may have anxiety disorder. Occasional anxiety can turn into anxiety disorder, especially after a traumatic event. Thankfully, you can learn to manage the symptoms of anxiety disorder through anxiety treatment, regardless of your circumstances.
When to Seek Anxiety Treatment
If your anxiety is keeping you from enjoying an element of your life, it’s time to seek treatment. Perhaps you’ve stopped going out as much as you used to, or maybe you feel unproductive at work. Your anxiety may prevent your from sleeping, or it may make you more irritable than normal. Whatever the case may be, you can regain control of your life through anxiety treatment.
At Perspectives Counseling Centers in Novi, MI, we offer effective anxiety treatment programs for patients of all ages. We have specialists who have years of experience specifically in anxiety therapy. Your therapist will help you get to the root cause of your anxiety so you can tackle it head-on. He or she will also teach you how to control anxiety symptoms so you can accomplish more throughout the day.
To schedule an appointment for anxiety treatment in Novi, MI, call (248) 946-4664.