How can you differentiate pathological anxiety from normal, adaptive worry?

• A. Pathological anxiety is excessive, persistent, and impairing; normal worry is proportionate to the situation and not disabling.
• B. Pathological anxiety is only physical symptoms.
• C. Normal worry is always disabling.
• D. There is no difference between pathological and normal worry.

Answer: (A)

The core distinction is how much worry affects functioning. Pathological anxiety is when worry becomes excessive, persistent, and impairing—wreaking havoc on daily life, work, or relationships, and often lasting beyond the immediate situation. Normal worry, on the other hand, is a natural, adaptive response that is proportionate to the threat, typically time-limited, and does not disable a person’s ability to function. It can even be helpful for preparing or problem-solving.

This matches the correct idea: pathological anxiety is excessive, persistent, and impairing; normal worry is proportionate to the situation and not disabling. The other statements miss essential aspects—pathological anxiety isn’t only physical symptoms, normal worry isn’t always disabling, and there is a meaningful difference between pathological and normal worry.