Anxiety and worry are common emotional experiences that many people face, but they can differ in terms of intensity, duration, and impact.
Worry
- Cognitive in nature: Worry tends to involve repetitive thoughts about potential problems or future events, often centred on uncertainty.
- Short-term and specific: Worry is often focused on specific situations or challenges.
- While worry can cause discomfort, it typically doesn’t interfere too much with daily life. Some can even be helpful by prompting problem-solving.
Anxiety
- Physical and emotional response: Anxiety involves worried thoughts & physiological symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, sweating, tension, or restlessness.
- More generalised: Anxiety can be more vague and diffuse. It can be a general sense of unease or fear that something bad could happen, even when there’s no immediate threat.
- Long-lasting and disruptive: anxiety can persist for long periods and interfere with daily life. It can affect sleep, concentration, and relationships.