Nervousness – Is it Different from Anxiety or the Same

Everyone gets nervous and feels anxious at some point in their life. This is why people often confuse the two terms and use them interchangeably. If you, too, have been using them without knowing what they are and how they differ, this post is for you. Here, we talk about nervousness, its signs, treatment, and how it differs from anxiety. 

Nervousness is a mix of anxiety, dread, and excitement. It makes your palms sweaty, increases your heart rate, and causes butterflies in your stomach as there is apprehension or fear about the first date, job interview, etc.

Everyone gets nervous; however, things get complicated when this natural human response to stressful situations affects daily functioning. Here, we will explain what nervousness is, what causes it, and how to deal effectively with nervousness. 

What is Nervousness?

Nervousness is a feeling of uneasiness and the body’s natural response to the fight-or-flight system. It helps in situations where alertness and focus are required. However, paying attention is necessary if this feeling stays with you for a long time and starts to affect you.

Why do you feel nervous?

When the body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, an individual feels nervous. There can be different triggers causing this release; however, as the body releases these hormones, physical and psychological responses make a person nervous. 

Factors like worrying about failing, being judged, being unprepared, negative self-talk, and similar thoughts can cause nervousness. To deal with these triggers, one must learn to manage them to avoid and prevent them from interfering with our ability to perform or enjoy the moment.

What causes Nervousness?

A variety of situations and events can trigger nervousness. This includes: 

• There is pressure to perform in public, job interviews, public speaking, or sports competitions.
• Social situations include meeting new people, attending parties, going on a first date, etc.
• Health concerns, such as worrying about an illness or medical condition.
• Trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other day-to-day worries can also cause nervousness.

When is Nervousness Something More?

Commonly speaking, nervousness is characterized by fear and physical symptoms. However, when these symptoms appear without any logical reason or impair one’s ability to function normally, it may indicate an anxiety disorder.

If you experience nervousness that impacts your daily life to some extent, you need to adopt coping strategies.

How is Nervousness different from an Anxiety Disorder?

Although nervousness is a common sign of anxiety disorder, they aren’t the same. Here, we explain the difference between nervousness and anxiety.

Nervousness	Anxiety
It is a normal human response to stressful situations.	It is a mental health condition caused by excessive worry, thinking about what will happen, and living in fear about everyday situations.
It’s temporary and goes away once the stressor is passed.	Often involves chronic and excessive levels of anxiety, causing distress and impairment.
It can be controlled even if you often get nervous.	A person usually cannot control it as it never goes away completely and is persistent.
Nervousness is temporary and can develop from day-to-day situations like a job interview, meeting a boss, driving a vehicle for the first time, etc.	Anxiety can develop from factors like genetics, brain chemistry, and life events. It is long-lasting and uncontrollable without treatment.
Nervousness doesn’t stop you from doing things you are nervous about.	Anxiety can prevent you from doing something you are interested in doing, making it difficult to focus and have a smooth day.
Nervousness is a response to something specific.	Anxiety is general and does not point towards the things that make you anxious.
Nervousness rarely pushes a person to adopt negative coping behaviors. It is manageable with self-care.	Anxiety is intense, persistent, ongoing, often generalized, interferes with day-to-day functioning, and might require therapy or medication to deal with.

Nervousness can be a sign of an anxiety disorder, but it isn’t anxiety.

Ways to Cope with Nervousness

1. Deep Breathing:

One popular and easiest relaxation technique is deep breathing. When a person focuses on breathing and consciously inhales and exhales, the attention shifts from things that make them nervous; this helps reduce nervousness and relax muscles. Also, as you take slow, deep breaths, the oxygen level in the body increases, and tension is reduced. 

2. Physical Activity:

Another way to reduce nervousness is to exercise. When you exercise and stay active, your body releases endorphins, a natural mood boost that helps reduce muscle tension and makes you relax. 

3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

This talk therapy helps identify and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. You can learn it with the help of a therapist and cope with the nervousness you feel about things happening to you and around you. 

4. Mindfulness Meditation:

Feeling nervous becomes obvious when you focus more on the past or future. By adding mindful meditation to your routine, you can learn to focus on the present and what you have. This will help you note your thoughts and emotions without judgment, which can help reduce nervousness.

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR):

PMR is another relaxation technique that can help when you feel nervous. This technique allows you to easily deal with muscle strain and relax muscles, thereby reducing muscle tension and promoting relaxation. 

6. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol:

Many people think caffeine and alcohol help relax, but the opposite is true. Ingesting more caffeine, alcohol, or both will increase nervousness. When feeling nervous, it’s best to avoid caffeine and alcohol or to consume them in moderation.

7. Get Enough Sleep:

Proper sleep is important for managing nervousness. If you have not rested properly or cannot sleep for 7-8 hours, the stress levels will increase, making it harder to cope with nervousness.

8. Acknowledge and confront your nervousness:

Stop listening to your inner critical voice, as it will only raise doubts and stop you from doing what you want. Take a deep breath and come up with counter arguments. If you find yourself telling yourself that you are incapable of doing a task or you are not confident, reply by saying I know what I am doing, I love taking risks, and I am ready for all that comes my way.

9. Practice and prepare in advance:

Thorough preparation is key when presenting or attending an interview. Practice for your presentation, ask questions you think can be asked, and challenge yourself. This will help you feel more confident.

10. Focus on the audience or interviewer:

Instead of solely focusing on yourself and your nervousness, concentrate on the people you are communicating with. Think about adding value and benefiting them with your message or skills.

11. Visualize success:

Picture yourself succeeding and feeling confident in the situation. Use positive self-talk and affirmations.

12. Accept and learn from mistakes:

Even the most accomplished professionals make mistakes. Instead of beating yourself up, accept and learn from them. Reflect on what went wrong, what you could have done differently, and how you can improve.

Nervousness Is Normal. Don’t be Scared of It

Nervousness is a normal human emotion; don’t be scared of it. You can easily deal with it. What you need is to adopt some ways to overcome the situation.

However, if you are getting nervous over every small thing and this is interfering with your routine, do not ignore it. This can be a sign of something else. We are here to help and listen. Please drop in a comment to interact if you want to.