Fear vs. Anxiety: Understanding the Key Differences

Fear and anxiety are similar emotions with similar effects, but they are categorized differently by the psychological community. Fear is a normal and healthy reaction. Anxiety is also normal, though unhealthy, and can be considered abnormal if it becomes chronic.

Identification

• Fear is defined as apprehension about a real threat, usually of physical harm to oneself or others. Anxiety is defined as discomfort over a vague, imagined threat, or a threat that does not involve physical harm.

Effects

• Both anxiety and fear can cause shortness of breath, rapid heart rate and muscle tension. Chronic anxiety also causes fatigue, irritability, restlessness and difficulty sleeping.

Benefits

• Fear is a good thing because it causes a person to take action to evade danger or solve a problem that is threatening.

Considerations

• Anxiety can cause a person to be essentially immobilized with worry and speculation about potential threats. Often the specific cause of the worry is not pinpointed.

Time Frame

• Fear is an acute reaction to a real threat that occurs while the threat is present. Acute anxiety is normal in people and not considered a mental health problem until it has lasted for six months or more.