What is Fear and Anxiety

Although alot of people seem to think fear and anxiety are two separate identities they go hand in hand. It starts off with anxiety and becomes fear. I decided to look them up in the dictionary:

anx·i·e·ty (ng-z-t)
n. pl. anx·i·e·ties
1. A state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties.
2. Psychiatry A state of apprehension, uncertainty, and fear resulting from the anticipation of a realistic or fantasized threatening event or situation, often impairing physical and psychological functioning.
3. Eager, often agitated desire

fear (fîr)
n.
1.
a. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
b. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension.
v. feared, fear·ing, fears
v.tr.
1. To be afraid or frightened of.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive about.
3. To be in awe of; revere.
4. To consider probable; expect.
5. Archaic To feel fear within (oneself).
v.intr.
1. To be afraid.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive.

Knowing the definition, I was able to put a label on what fear and anxiety were defined as. Looking at the definitions seem to put a twist on my problem that I really hadn't seen before: wonder.

Wonder, hmmm how does someone seem to get in such a state and why do some people have this problem over things that shouldn't cause fear or anxiety. Here is a good example: One day I was looking for a cookbook my husband wanted me to find a recipe in for that evenings dinner. I had thought I put it in the bookshelf only to realize it wasn't where i thought it was. Now in a person without fear and anxiety they would just sluff it off and just say oh well it will turn up. But in a person suffering with fear and anxiety they do what I ended up doing and PANIC. I proceeded to empty out every drawer, cupboard, and shelf until I found it. Half way through I was in such a state of panic I was trembling from head to toe and not thinking clearly. You see the first thing that lands in a fearful person's head is what the consequence could be if you didn't find the stupid cookbook.

Now when I mentioned that to my Psychologist we came to an epiphany. She asked "So when you think of something like a task what is the first thing you think of?" Silly question I thought, not realizing that I was doing something so backwards. "Well" I said, "I think of what could happen if I don't find the cookbook, like my husband will get mad or something." She made me see that the first thing to come out of my thought pattern was negative thoughts. NEGATIVE..... hmmm I thought I was such a positive person. I could talk to people and be so encouraging but on the inside to myself I was so hard on myself. So what's the epiphany you say? It is this to stop panicking about every little thing you need to slow down, look at the situation, think of all the positives first. Stop yourself from thinking of the worst possible thing. Thinking back to alot of the times I've done that, I realized that alot of my panic was unfounded and never happened I just thought they would. Wow what an epiphany.