"Are you Nervous or Anxious? QUICK! Your life depends on which one!"

[hippocratical]

Okay, here's a EMT-B disagreement I'm having:

As an ex-English teacher, in my mind 'Nervousness' and 'Anxiety' are synonyms and interchangeable.

In my notes for the Side Effects of Salbutamol, Ipratropium and Epi - two of them have 'Anxiety' listed, the third 'Nervousness' (I forget which was what)

Anyhow, I switched them all to be 'Anxiety' for ease of memory. My EMT-B buddy says that I will lose marks in provincials though as they are thought of medically different.

I call BS. Anyone agree that there's a medical difference? Is this an Americanism (I'm a Englishman in Canada)?

 

[Epi-do]

I have always thought of them as two different things. Apparently, according to the medical dictionary on dictionary.com, they are slightly different as well.

Medical Dictionary

anx·i·ety definition
Pronunciation: /aŋ-ˈzī-ət-ē/
Function: n
pl-eties; 1 a : a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill
b : a cause of anxiety
2 : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc.


ner·vous definition
Pronunciation: /ˈnər-vəs/
Function: adj
1 : of, relating to, or composed of neurons <the nervous layer of the eye>
2 a : of or relating to the nerves
also : originating in or affected by the nerves <nervous energy>
b : easily excited or irritated
ner·vous·lyFunction: adv
ner·vous·nessFunction: n
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

 

[abckidsmom]

I have always thought of them as two different things. Apparently, according to the medical dictionary on dictionary.com, they are slightly different as well.

The physiological difference is what came to my mind as well. Heart rate, sweating, even pain...that's anxiety. Worry= nervousness.

ETA: its splitting hairs though. Totally.

 

[truetiger]

I think Epi-do's answer is spot on. Overwhelming is the keyword. We all get nervous, but when was the last time you broke out in a sweat and began hyperventilating just because you were a little nervous?

 

[jmh]

we americans are too blame

people get confused about this because most commonly we say people are anxious when they are really nervous. these words are so closely related to each other but both have very different meanings. ignorance is the culprit here

 

[Pittma]

people get confused about this because most commonly we say people are anxious when they are really nervous. these words are so closely related to each other but both have very different meanings. ignorance is the culprit here

In that case it would be Americans are "to" blame

 

[CheifBud]

Potato/Patoto

Can't really argue with the dictionary. *My 2 cents* When I think of Anxiety or an anxiety attack they can cause a multitude of different feelings from angry, sad, mad, scared... and can be triggered from different events often making the patient much more irritable or upset. Nervousness I consider to be triggered by an impending event,decision,task, and so on and usually presents, though differently in separate people, are generally consistent. E.G. I hum old tunes in a really high pitched sound when I'm nervous consistently but while experiencing anxiety one can go from inconsolably sad to raging back to scared of there own shadow. I also feel as though when nervous people may have a little more awareness and alertness while experiencing "Anxiety" they are often much more irritable generally less alert.

The hard thing about this is trying to put a concrete definitions of peoples nervousness versus anxiety when they themselves are, EITHER WAY, probably not too concerned as to the difference.

You really have to talk to the instructor for clarification as they, of course, have the final say. But yes, I agree its splitting hairs and doubt you will go into an EMS interview and hear, "well you're well qualified but one last thing." "Whats the difference between anxiety and nervousness"

 

[mycrofft]

Anxiety dos not equal anxiety disorder

To be anxious is to be nervous about something in anticipation (apprehensive). Anxiety disorder is a treatable psychiatric/psychological disorder (a neurosis I believe, don't ask me what color) where the apprehension is disproportionate to the perceived threat, or when a person's threat perceptions are very often unrealistic in a negative scarey way.