What’s the difference between Normal Anxiety and an Anxiety Disorder?

Normal AnxietyAnxiety Disorder
Occasional worry about circumstantial events, such as an exam or break-up, that may leave you upsetConstant, chronic and unsubstantiated worry that causes significant distress, disturbs your social life and interferes with classes and work
Embarrassment or self-consciousness in the face of uncomfortable social situationsAvoidance of common social situations for fear of being judged, embarrassed or humiliated
Random case of “nerves” or jitters, dizziness and/or sweating over an important event like an exam or oral presentationRepeated, random panic attacks or persistent worry/anticipation of another panic attack and feelings of terror or impending doom
Realistic fear of a threatening object, place or situationIrrational fear or avoidance of an object, place or situation that poses little or no threat of danger
Wanting to be sure that you are healthy and living in a safe, hazard-free environmentPerforming uncontrollable, repetitive actions, such as washing your hands repeatedly or checking things over and over
Anxiety, sadness or difficulty sleeping immediately following a traumatic eventOngoing and recurring nightmares, flashbacks or emotional numbing relating to a traumatic event in your life that occurred several months or years ago