[BeaFlower]

Maybe I should already know it, since I study psychology but I never understod this particular thing. One of my professors told us that it can be normal to feel anxious for certain things, for example talking in public, but you have a disorder only if your anxiety prevents you from doing these things. And it makes sense. But...personally, I talk in public in I really have to do it, for example for university presentations that are compulsory (and sometimes even if they weren't compulsory, but could improve my grades...at the beginning I didn't want to do it, but my grades are quite important for me, so at the end I did it). But I do it with really a lot of anxiety...when I'm going to have a presentation, in the previous days I feel really really sick, I have troubles sleeping, I cry and I have moments in which my heart beats too much; and expecially when I'm on the point to begin the presentation I feel really sick.
So, the question is: do you think that mine could be an anxiety disorder? Could I eventually ask for help to a therapist, or would he just tell me that I don't have a disorder, or that since I can do things it's ok? But it's really not nice to do things with all this anxiety
P.S. I used the example of public speaking, but I have anxiery also for other things, like driving (and in this case yes, I have avoidance) or going alone to a new place.

[SecondSkin]

I don't think that it is necessary to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder just to have anxiety. I'm anxious about certain very specific things (being in the correct lane when driving, people standing too close to me in public places, etc.). Those things I chalk up to just being a nervous person. Those kinds of things don't hinder me in the grand scheme of things. But I also get panic attacks. Sometimes they're triggered by something (having to drive to a new place by myself and possibly getting very lost) and sometimes they're not. Those attacks prevent me from doing things I want and need to do.
It sounds like regardless of whether you have a disorder or not, you'd benefit from finding a therapist that can teach you some coping techniques. A good therapist won't kick you out of therapy just because you're not diagnosed with anything I hope you can find someone that can help!

[BeaFlower]

Thanks I'd like to see a therapist for OCD, but maybe it would be a good idea to ask an help also for anxiety. If I ever really take the decision to go...
Thanks again for answering

[CosmicRose]

He said it was normal to feel anxious to talk in public? Did he mean public speaking like getting in front of a crowd, or was he actually saying talking in public normally? I'd be shocked and relieved to hear that, if he meant it was normal to feel anxious just talking to people in the public. If that's considered normal then maybe I wouldn't beat myself up so much about being weak for having anxiety over things like that.
I have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, but I still do things in public (although only when I have to).
Anxiety disorders, I think, are classified as having a lot of anxiety during your day to day, whether its presenting or just going to the store or hanging out with friends or going to work. If you have a lot of anxiety during the day, that alone can be seen as an anxiety disorder, it doesn't matter really if you act on certain things or not, it depends on how you're feeling and how you're managing your emotions.
I think you might have more anxiety than say the average person but I really don't know. "Most" people don't get anxiety about driving or about going alone to a new place, but most people feel anxious about giving presentations. It just depends on how much anxiety you're actually experiencing. Not whether or not you actually act on something. If that makes sense.
For example - you could be fraught with anxiety about going to the grocery store, and still go to the grocery store...but that doesn't mean you don't have an anxiety disorder, since the person is obviously very anxious about the grocery store.
You might also just have specific phobias, like a fear of driving, or a fear of getting in a car accident. So I guess there's a fine line between specific phobias and an anxiety disorder.

[techytora]

Have you tried using a sensory isolation chamber? They work wounders for a massive array of physical an mental disorders including anxiety and anxiousness. I went in extremely stressed an delusional (it was an hour or two after a really bad panic attack and my brother rushed me over to a place that had some isolation tanks) i sat in the tank in the dark silence feeling nothing for 2 hours and my mind recovered completely from it as it keeps your senses out of the equation and lets you have complete thought control. I havent had any anxiety since I've gone. Its done more for me in 2 hours than any pill has ever done.

[Bipolartist]

BeaFlower, I'm not trained to diagnose you with an anxiety disorder, but it does sound like you worry a lot and you definitely have a little higher anxiety than a normal person. I actually hate it when doctors or friends say to me, "Oh, it's normal to have anxiety over these things." Well, I know what's normal and what's not.

I am diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, however I do go to work (almost) every day and my job is stressful. I force myself to go out and socialize, but only in the safest settings.

It's a combination of therapy, medication, and lots of work on myself that get me through this constant state of anxiety and obsessive worrying about every little thing, especially driving in heavy traffic or to someplace I've never been before. Even getting up and going to work and interacting with only a few people can be a horrible stress.

P.S. Techytora, I'm going to look into the isolation tanks. I have been doing a guided meditation these past few days and that's working wonders. I think sitting alone, maybe in an iso tank, and purging all these negative thoughts is the way to go.

[BeaFlower]

Thanks to everybody. CosmicRose, he meant talking in front of crowds But I don't remember if I said just that it's normal to feel a bit nervous for it, or also to have a lot of anxiety...more likely the first one.
So, you guys think that you could have an anxiety disorder also if you just do things with anxiety, not only if you don't do them. It was my idea too. Plus, the things that you say give you anxiety are similar to mine.
I thought to have 'only' OCD...it's not nice to discover that I could possibly have also another disorder, but it's better to know. If I go and see a psychologist I'll ask also about anxiety disorders.
Techytora, do you know of sensory isolation chambers are only for panic attacks or also for anxiety in general? They sound a bit scary, though...

[SecondSkin]

There are a lot of things I can do, even with anxiety. Over the years I've learned to manage it with yoga. It doesn't work for everyone, and there are good and bad yoga instructors out there. What I got out of it was how to train my body to breathe. When I get anxious, I hold my breath. You can't do that in yoga. The teacher tells you when to breathe. I know it sounds out there, but if you're not ready to make the leap to therapy, yoga is a good tool to have. Look for slow flow or gentle vinyasa.