Verywell / Laura Porter
How do you distinguish between anxiety vs. being nervous?
After all, it’s common to hear someone say, “This is giving me anxiety!”
when faced with a situation that makes them uncomfortable or nervous.
Verywell / Laura Porter
So how do you know if the nervousness you’re feeling is normal or actually an anxiety disorder?
This article explores the differences between being nervous vs. anxious and offers tips for how to manage both.
You might be nervous when waiting for medical test results lab results or before walking into a job interview.
Many physical sensations can accompany nervousness, including a dry mouth, sweaty palms, and dizziness.
You may also experience feelings of self-doubt.
These feelings and sensations are both uncomfortable and uncontrollable.
Nervousness tends to go away once you’ve gotten through the situation.
And it rarely leads to you avoid nerve-wracking situations in the future.
Feelings of nervousness that don’t disrupt your everyday life are normal.
You live your life in a constant state of dread, and you struggle to calm yourself.
These feelings and negative coping behaviors eventually begin to interfere with your day-to-day life.
Is It Nerves or Anxiety?
Nervousness and anxiety are similar in that both cause a variety of physical and cognitive symptoms.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Although avoidance may give you some short-term relief, it onlyhurts you in the long run.
This anxiety can be a symptom of many conditions, including:
Each condition presents its unique symptoms.
However, all anxiety disorders involve excessive fear, worry, or dread that interfere with your daily activities.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
A Word From Verywell
It’s OK to feel nervous, but not all of the time.
It’s essential to reach out to a mental health provider to help confirm a diagnosis.
Then, they can work with you to determine the best treatment plan to address and manage your anxiety.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is usually more serious and pervasive.
It is possible to experience physical feelings of anxiety without necessarily feeling nervous about a specific situation.
Instead, you might have generalized feelings of anxiety that don’t seem to stem from any particular source.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
2014;Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
