To Heal Anxiety, Stop Thinking of It as a Disease

psychologytoday.com

26 points·fairytalemtg··4 comments

I might read the authors book. But is there a difference between what common folk see as anxiety and what the author/medical/science community see as anxiety? It feels as though a lot of the article talks about what’s commonly called anxiousness, rather than what’s commonly called anxiety.

Anxiousness = I’m nervous and don’t feel good? Anxiety = Tunnel vision, nausea, shaking, etc?

I think the author is using the two terms interchangeably. What you describe as anxiety is when it reaches panic attack levels.

I do find thinking of anxiety as a biologicical response to stressors help me rationalize my anxiety before I spiral too far. I think this especially important because it gives control back to me: If it is a disease I have no control over it, but if it is a normal biological response I can perhaps harness it.

I think author is making the point that it always was interchangeable and that we've been over treating it as if it's always a disease.

At first it seems like she’s equivocating, but further down in the article she distinguishes the types of anxiety:

“Anxiety and anxiety disorders are not the same thing. Until we make that distinction, I can see why you might feel that I’m going too far in these ideas.”

They then go on to expand on this.

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