Anxiety!

[featheredbirds]

HEY GUYS! I'm just having a complete sense of blankness as to how I would answer this question, anyone that knows PLEASE HELP. 

In what way is anxiety experienced as a ‘normal’ part of everyday life different from the experience of anxiety that characterises an anxiety disorder?

[Genericname2365]

HEY GUYS! I'm just having a complete sense of blankness as to how I would answer this question, anyone that knows PLEASE HELP. 

In what way is anxiety experienced as a ‘normal’ part of everyday life different from the experience of anxiety that characterises an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety in everyday life is adaptive; a severe anxiety response can be useful in the short term to help to equip us to deal with threatening/dangerous situations. Physiologically, it is like the flight-fight response and therefore makes us more alert and our reactions faster. Mild-moderate levels also makes us more alert and improve our ability to cope.
By contrast, anxiety associated with an anxiety disorder is not adaptive and is usually counter-productive and disabling, causing extreme distress and dysfunction. It is often accompanied by intense physiological sensations and responses.

[vashappenin]

Do you think this'll be something we need to know well for the exams? Which exam paper is this from. and is it a short answer question or extended response?

[Felicity Wishes]

HEY GUYS! I'm just having a complete sense of blankness as to how I would answer this question, anyone that knows PLEASE HELP. 

In what way is anxiety experienced as a ‘normal’ part of everyday life different from the experience of anxiety that characterises an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety in everyday life is adaptive; a severe anxiety response can be useful in the short term to help to equip us to deal with threatening/dangerous situations. Physiologically, it is like the flight-fight response and therefore makes us more alert and our reactions faster. Mild-moderate levels also makes us more alert and improve our ability to cope.
By contrast, anxiety associated with an anxiety disorder is not adaptive and is usually counter-productive and disabling, causing extreme distress and dysfunction. It is often accompanied by intense physiological sensations and responses.

+1 perfect answer!
Vashappenin; yes, might as well know that!

[featheredbirds]

I couldn't have gotten a more perfect answer, THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Please answer more questions in the psychology forum that I will no doubt be posting in the coming weeks.