The key difference between having an anxiety disorder and normal anxiety is the extent of dysfunction and distress it causes. Generalized anxiety disorder, one of the most common diagnoses, is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things. Put simply, feeling anxious at a given point in time about something stressful going on in your life does not mean you have an anxiety disorder. In under a minute, they receive a result that they likely have a case of generalized anxiety disorder. Labeling oneself as having an anxiety disorder can shift a person’s self-concept.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 23, 2023 16:56 UTC