[Nike007]

Hello. I was wonder what does someone mean when someone says "I have anxiety"? Does it mean generalized anxiety? Specific anxiety? Social anxiety? Panic disorder? Agoraphobia? Separation anxiety? Or does it just mean I have some anxiety disorder that they don't want to name? Or does it mean they have some anxiety that is not considered a disorder type of level? Sorry if I am the only one who doesn't know what this means. I am very confused about it. Hope you will be able to clear things up for me.

[where_to_begin]

I think it means different things to different people. It is based on what the person saying it thinks, and it only applies to them. It may mean anything from being a little bit nervous under some circumstances to overwhelming anxiety all of the time.

Different people have different levels of anxiety. While to one person it may mean a little nervous, to another person it might mean heavier anxiety.

[maxie154]

I think it can mean any of those things.

Sorry that doesn't help to clarify things very well, does it? What I mean, though, is that anxiety is a very ambiguous term. Someone may say "I have anxiety" to describe anything from a slight uneasiness for a big exam, to a crippling fear of social situations.

Personally, I've found the best way to find what someone exactly means when they say, "I have anxiety", is to encourage them to to provide more details (e.g., "Do you know what causes the anxiety?").

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by where_to_begin

I think it means different things to different people. It is based on what the person saying it thinks, and it only applies to them. It may mean anything from being a little bit nervous under some circumstances to overwhelming anxiety all of the time.

Different people have different levels of anxiety. While to one person it may mean a little nervous, to another person it might mean heavier anxiety.

Oh okay. Makes sense. Thanks .

[SillyKitty]

I agree with where_to_begin. My mom says she's anxious about something...she's normal worried. I say I'm anxious, it may not have a reason and I'm probably shaking and can't catch my breath.

[gayleggg]

When I say I'm anxious it is regard to generalized anxiety. Which includes being unsettled, queasiness stomach, short shallow breathing and trembling. Flight or fight response.
Sometimes it's worse and sometimes it's milder. It can be triggered by an event or for no reason at all.

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[AnxietyMaster]

I agree with all of these answers. Anxiety is a very personalized thing, ranging from phobias to general worry. For me, it's like I am dragging around a big sack filled with worry. This "big sack" of worry seems to leak all over my daily life, causing me to worry and obsess over the littlest of things.

[elevatedsoul]

i say i have anxiety so i dont have to explain the complexities of this disorder;
much easier to say i have anxiety rather than im afraid of such and such for such and such reasons

[Nike007]

Thank you for all your responses. This makes more sense now, especially since it is more convenient.

[notthisagain]

When I say that I have anxiety, I mean that my dx is GAD and also that I have panic attacks, though not dx'd with Panic Disorder. It's easier to just say that I have anxiety so that I don't have to explain all of that.

[spring2014]

hi nike,
it can mean all three of these responses .it doesn't matter what kind of anxiety that you have anxiety is just anxiety .the worse one to have is a full blown anxiety attack .I had several of those when I started seeing my therapist . my anxiety level was high enough for my therapist to suggest to me to go back on the meds again for the third time in my life. when someone said that they have anxiety it just that they have anxiety or not.