How do you know when anxiety is normal or something you should seek help with?

Anxiety in greater and more frequent appearances such as when you feel anxious out of nowhere when there is no need to be is something you should get help with. Generally we feel anxious for several reasons, even for small things. However it's a normal body defense.

You should seek help when you feel like your anxiety is interferring with your life (job, relationships, hobbies, etc)

Anxiety is normal when you are anxious over something but it goes away. You should seek help with anxiety when it has an affect on your functioning. When you can't sleep, constant feeling of your heart racing, shakiness, intrusive thoughts, etc.

For me, if I am in a situation that triggers anxiety, I try to do exercises such as, deep breathing, tapping my fingers, tapping my feet, closing my eyes, etc. It usually calms me down, but when I realized these exercises didn't help and I was frequently feeling anxiety, I sought professional help. When it interfered with my daily functioning and thought processes, that is when I knew I needed help.

If it causes dysfunction and interferes with day to day life. Or if they are a danger to themselves or society

If your anxiety impacts your everyday life and relationships. Or you seem less motivated to work and bogged down and tired. Consider seeking help. It isn't a permanent situation.remeber that. Take care :)

If it interferes with your life then you should seek help

The moment I knew that that horrible feeling in my stomach was something I needed to address was when I noticed it controlling my decisions and life. I would choose certain options to avoid social situations until I was spending all my time alone with my anxiety surrounding me.

Hello! According to the national institute on mental health around 18% or adults (aged >18) have an anxiety disorder- so you are not alone it it is something you need help with! Anxiety is a normal occurrence that almost everyone experiences, whether it is due to exams, an interview or otherwise. But when the anxiety becomes detrimental to your health, or interferes with your everyday life, it may be time to seek help. Some warning signs include when anxiety interferes with your work, friendships, relationships; when you are using drugs and/or alcohol to self medicate; or when anxiety is causing you to miss out on life. If any of these sound familiar then it is time to seek action and look at getting some help. Anxiety can leave you feeling trapped, alone and isolated. The fact is you don't need to be a prisoner to your anxiety. There is hope, support, and treatment. Coming here and posting the question is a step in the right direction and it is great to know you are taking care of yourself! There isn't necessarily a definitive answer to your question, but if you feel like you might want help coping with your anxiety- go for it. I hope my answer helped, Laura :)