The term “anxiety” gets used very casually sometimes, so that it’s almost become a synonym for “stress” in modern vernacular. But anxiety and stress are not the same thing.
Stress is a normal, physiological response to external pressures. It can present as anger, fatigue, irritability, muscle pain, and even digestive discomfort or trouble sleeping. It is temporary, however, and symptoms subside when the stressor is removed.
Anxiety is a mental health disorder that can be triggered by excessive stress, but persists beyond the stress. Anxiety causes many of the same symptoms as stress, which can sometimes make it difficult to name what you’re experiencing.
Learning how to recognize the differences between stress and anxiety will help you determine if it’s time to talk to someone who can help.
ANXIETY Quiz
The nine questions below focus on the frequency of certain anxiety disorder symptoms. Most people experience at least a couple of these symptoms from time to time, so consider how often you have noticed these in the past month.
Note: This quiz is intended to help you recognize symptoms of anxiety disorder, in order to better understand your own experiences. It is not a complete or thorough diagnosis and does not replace a professional evaluation.
For each question, ask yourself if you feel that way never, occasionally, frequently, or pretty much all the time.
1. How often do you experience uncontrollable worry?
Worry and fear are normal parts of life, but worrying becomes a recognizable symptom of general anxiety disorder (GAD) when you can’t seem to stop.
Normal worry is something you can manage. Sometimes people keep a journal to write down and spend time with their worries and then simply put them away for the day. Others manage worry by praying, meditation, or challenging those thoughts to calm their minds. Still others can control worry by interrupting the thoughts with a walk, some upbeat music, etc.
An anxiety disorder, however, makes it almost impossible to control or silence the worry.
2. How often do you find yourself worrying about a wide variety of different things?
Whether or not you can control worry when it comes, how often do you catch yourself worrying about a long list of concerns? Most people worry about money, health, or relationship problems from time to time, but …
“... people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) feel extremely worried or feel nervous about these and other things—even when there is little or no reason to worry about them.” - NIMH
How often are you anticipating a disaster of some sort? How often do you worry about normal concerns without any real reason? It’s normal, for example, to worry about finances when you or a spouse loses a job. It’s not necessary to worry about finances if you have a steady income sufficient to cover your bills.
3. How often do you find yourself irritable or easily annoyed?
Everyone has bad days. A stressful day at work, a frustrating load of schoolwork, or toddlers (or teenagers) at home can push buttons and make anyone short-tempered. Heightened irritability, however, is a tell-tale sign of GAD.
90% of adults with general anxiety disorder report excessive irritability during times when their anxiety disorder was heightened.
Young and middle-aged adults with a GAD diagnosis report about twice as much irritability as their peers who were experiencing normal worry.
An anxiety disorder is often wrapped in so much worry and fear, that it’s bound to drive someone into irritability. Your body is trying to deal with consistently heightened levels of stress, so a short fuse is understandable.
4. How often do you experience physical symptoms of intense fear?
The constant worry associated with general anxiety disorder often grows into an intense, undefinable fear. There may or may not be something specific that you are fearful about, but the sensation of fear still becomes overwhelming.
In cases of anxiety disorder this intense fear can cause chest pains, panic, a pounding heart, shaking, shortness of breath, sweating, and/or nausea. These are healthy bodily responses to intense fear, but that kind of fear is only normal in the face of real, extreme danger. It is rarely warranted in most of our daily lives.
5. How often do you avoid social situations or those that you think may trigger a panic attack?
Do you frequently avoid social situations, because you’re afraid of embarrassment or rejection? Does it seem like you have a harder time in social situations than your peers?
Being nervous about meeting new people or being an introvert who gets worn out in social settings are both totally normal. GAD becomes a concern when that fear becomes debilitating—when you actually want to try to go out, but that fear keeps you from social settings.
Similarly, do you frequently avoid situations that you think might trigger a panic attack—whether it's being alone or in a crowd, on a plane or in a car, etc.
Avoiding social or panic-inducing situations and settings is a good sign that the fear and worry has gotten too big.
6. How often do you feel restless or jumpy?
Restlessness is not always a symptom of GAD, but it’s fairly common—especially in children and teenagers. Almost 3 in 4 children diagnosed with anxiety disorder report restlessness as a main symptom.
Because the constant worry and/or fear caused by anxiety triggers your body’s fight or flight response. Your brain thinks there is danger at hand, so your body produces adrenaline and cortisol as a response—heightening alertness and vigilance so you can respond to the threat.
How often do you feel like you just can’t sit still—like you’re jittery, on edge, or have an almost uncomfortable urge to just move? This restlessness can also make it difficult to concentrate, and it can make irritability even worse.
7. How often do you worry or feel fearful about the future?
Excess fear and worry about the future is known as anticipatory anxiety. Anticipatory anxiety is not a disorder on its own, but it is a symptom of GAD.
We all get nervous or worry about the future sometimes. A big presentation, a work review, a performance, a doctor’s appointment … all of these events can be nerve-wracking. But these kinds of worries shouldn’t consume most of your thoughts, shouldn’t be unshakable, and shouldn’t interfere with your daily life.
If you feel like you’re routinely trapped in imaginary worst-case scenarios, you may be experiencing anticipatory anxiety.
8. How often do you notice yourself doing repetitive things to manage your worry?
Repetitive behaviors are associated with anxiety disorders in several ways.
Many people with GAD simply feel compelled to check on things over and over and over again. If you can’t remember whether or not you locked your door, it’s normal to go back and check once. But people who suffer from anxiety will check many, many times.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the five major types of anxiety disorders—separate from GAD. Sufferers are plagued by similar persistent, negative thoughts, but try to dispel those thoughts with ritualistic repetitive behaviors like counting, cleaning, etc.
Finally, body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are a set of habitual behaviors related to anxiety management. These behaviors are specifically those that cause minor bodily damage (which adds up to significant damage over time), such as hair pulling, nail biting, nose picking, etc. It presents similar to OCD, but is not the same condition.
9. How often do you have trouble relaxing or sleeping?
Living with anxiety is exhausting, but that doesn’t mean you sleep well. Persistent worry, possibly combined with the heightened levels of fight or flight hormones in your body, make it very difficult to fall asleep—or stay asleep.
Difficulty sleeping isn’t always the first symptom people associate with an anxiety disorder, but it’s very common. Think about how often you’ve had difficulty sleeping lately. If you don’t think you can accurately judge, try keeping a sleep journal for the next few weeks.
ANXIETY Quiz: Scoring
Reviewing the nine questions above, give yourself:
One “point” for every time you would answer “occasionally.”
Two “points” for every time you would answer “frequently.”
Three “points” for every time you would answer “all the time.”
If your total is below 10, and you mostly answered “never” or “occasionally,” you’re showing few signs of an anxiety disorder. You may just be in a very stressful season of life. If that’s the case, you can learn how to manage stress and wait a few weeks to see if you start to feel better. But also, if it is “just” stress, that doesn’t mean you’re somehow disqualified from seeking counseling. A therapist can help you manage that stress so it doesn’t become anxiety.
If your total is between 10 and 18, you may be experiencing symptoms of GAD.
If your total is higher than 18, or you answered “all the time” to more than one symptom, it’s time to talk to a professional about your anxiety.
Most importantly, no matter what your “score” is, remember that there are different types of anxiety disorders and they all exist on a scale. No internet quiz is a real diagnosis. If you are concerned about your stress levels and your thought patterns, please tell a loved one and reach out to a counselor or therapist.
Getting Help for Anxiety
One of the surest signs that you should talk to a counselor or therapist is that you’re trying to self-diagnose your level of anxiety. Stress tends to pass and normal worry is easily calmed. If you’re concerned about your mental health, talk to a counselor.
You know, better than anyone else, what is normal for you. If what you are feeling and experiencing isn’t normal for you, please talk to someone.
If you are in Austin or Houston, or anywhere across the State of Texas, one of our licensed counselors would be happy to talk with you. You can call us at 512.669.5701 or schedule a free consultation online.
If you are a high school or college student anywhere in the U.S. and your anxiety is impacting your schoolwork, you may benefit from our academic coaching or study halls. Do not hesitate to reach out for support. You can experience relief from anxiety.