What’s The Difference Between Excitement and Anxiety?

Excitement and Anxiety

As an anxiety specialist based in Chicago, I often hear clients express confusion over emotions that seem strikingly similar but are worlds apart in their impact. Two of the most commonly conflated emotions are excitement and anxiety.

At first glance, they share many physiological characteristics—racing heart, sweaty palms, and heightened alertness. So why do they feel so different, and how can understanding the distinction between them improve your mental health? Let’s explore.

Why Excitement and Anxiety Feel Similar

Excitement and anxiety both activate the body’s autonomic nervous system, specifically the sympathetic branch, which prepares us to respond to challenges or opportunities. This shared activation explains why they can feel alike physically:

• Heart rate increases
• Breathing quickens
• Energy surges through the body
• Heightened focus or awareness

From a purely physiological perspective, the body is preparing for action in both cases. This is why it’s easy to mistake one for the other.

However, the key difference lies in perception and interpretation.

The Role of Interpretation

Our brains are constantly interpreting signals from the body and environment, determining whether they represent a threat or a positive challenge.

1. Anxiety:
   Anxiety arises when we perceive a situation as a threat, even if the threat isn’t immediate or tangible. It’s rooted in uncertainty and fear—fear of failure, rejection, or harm. When anxious, the mind fixates on worst-case scenarios, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and stuck. [Learn more on our anxiety therapy page].

Example:
You’re asked to give a presentation at work. If anxiety takes over, your thoughts might spiral: What if I forget everything? What if they laugh at me? What if I fail? This narrative feeds into the physiological sensations, escalating the anxiety.

1. Excitement:
   Excitement occurs when we interpret a situation as a positive opportunity, something to look forward to or embrace. It’s rooted in anticipation and hope. Unlike anxiety, excitement carries a sense of possibility and empowerment.

Example:
The same presentation scenario might trigger excitement if you think: This is my chance to showcase my skills! I can’t wait to share my ideas.

The difference lies in what we believe about the outcome. Anxiety envisions a negative result, while excitement sees a positive or neutral one.

Why Do We Confuse the Two?

Cultural and personal factors often blur the line between anxiety and excitement.

• Stress Misattribution:
  In high-pressure environments, like fast-paced cities such as Chicago, stress is a constant companion. This can lead us to interpret any heightened state as anxiety, even when it might be excitement.
• Conditioned Responses:
  If someone has a history of chronic anxiety, they may default to interpreting any physiological arousal as anxiety. This is common among clients who describe feeling “on edge” even during positive events.
• Lack of Emotional Awareness:
  Many people haven’t developed the tools to distinguish between their emotions. They lump together feelings that involve heightened energy, which can lead to mislabeling excitement as anxiety.

How to Tell the Difference

Here are some practical ways to differentiate between excitement and anxiety:

1. Check Your Thoughts:
   What story are you telling yourself? Are you focused on potential failure or success?
2. Tune Into Your Body:
   Both excitement and anxiety may feel intense, but excitement often includes a sense of lightness, whereas anxiety feels heavy and constricting.
3. Notice the Context:
   Are you facing an opportunity that aligns with your goals (excitement), or are you confronting an unfamiliar or high-stakes situation (anxiety)?
4. Practice Reframing:
   Try labeling anxious sensations as excitement. Research suggests this simple cognitive shift can change how you experience your emotions.

For instance, telling yourself, “I’m excited to see what happens,” instead of, “I’m nervous,” can recalibrate your emotional experience.

The Intersection of Anxiety and Excitement

In some situations, anxiety and excitement coexist. Consider planning a wedding or starting a new job. These events involve both anticipation and fear, making it hard to separate the two emotions.

Instead of trying to eliminate anxiety, it can be helpful to lean into the excitement. Focus on what excites you about the situation and let that drive your emotional narrative.

Managing Anxiety When It Feels Overwhelming

For those struggling with chronic anxiety, the excitement-anxiety overlap can be particularly challenging. If your default response to heightened arousal is anxiety, there are strategies you can use to regain control:

• Grounding Exercises: Slow, deep breathing or mindfulness practices can help calm your body and bring clarity to your emotional state.
• Journaling: Writing down your thoughts and labeling your emotions can help you discern between excitement and anxiety.
• Seek Professional Help: Therapy can provide tools to understand and manage anxiety, especially if it frequently overshadows excitement.

Wrap Up

Excitement and anxiety are two sides of the same physiological coin, distinguished primarily by how we interpret and respond to our sensations. While anxiety is rooted in fear and avoidance, excitement is fueled by hope and engagement.

Understanding the difference can help you reframe situations and foster a healthier relationship with your emotions. If you’re finding it hard to distinguish between excitement and anxiety—or if anxiety is dominating your life—consider reaching out to a mental health professional. Together, we can work to turn fear into possibility and bring clarity to your emotional experiences.

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” Sometimes, that fear might just be excitement in disguise.