Difference Between Normal Anxiety And Anxiety Disorder. Many people are confused about the difference between feeling anxious and having an anxiety disorder. Anxiety, on the other hand, can prevent you from doing something you enjoy and make it difficult to focus and go about your day.

One of the major differences is that with normal anxiety, it usually disappears once the stressors are gone. At the high end of the intensity range, anxiety can become pathological and maladaptive. An anxiety disorder is different from “normal” anxiety.