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Anxiety vs Paranoia - What's the difference?

anxiety | paranoia |

As nouns the difference between anxiety and paranoia

is that anxiety is an unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event while paranoia is a psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution.

anxiety

Noun

(anxieties)
  • An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1907, author=
  • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=4 citation , passage=The inquest on keeper Davidson was duly held, and at the commencement seemed likely to cause Tony Palliser less anxiety than he had expected.}}
  • * 2005 , .
  • But the other, because he's been immersed in arguments, gives the appearance of harbouring considerable anxiety and suspicion that he's ignorant of those matters he presents himself to others as an expert on.
  • An uneasy or distressing desire (for something).
  • I was anxious to get into the office before Henderson called from New York.
  • (pathology) A state of restlessness and agitation, often accompanied by a distressing sense of oppression or tightness in the stomach.
  • Synonyms

    * care, solicitude, foreboding, uneasiness, perplexity, disquietude, disquiet, trouble, apprehension, restlessness, distress

    paranoia

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (qualifier)

    Noun

    (wikipedia paranoia) (en noun)
  • A psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution.
  • Extreme, irrational distrust of others.
  • Derived terms

    * paranoiac * paranoic * paranoically * paranoid * paranoid schizophrenia

    References

    * “ ?Paranoia, paranœa]” listed on page 460 of volume VII (O, P) of '' [1st ed., 1909]
    ???Paranoia''' ( mind.]?Mental derangement; ''spec.'' chronic mental unsoundness characterized by delusions or hallucinations, esp. of grandeur, persecution, etc.?[¶; 4 quots.: 1857, 1891, 1892, 1899; ¶]?Hence '''Paranoi·ac, -œ·ac,''' a. ''adj.'' afflicted with paranoia; b. ''sb.''; also '''Parano·ic, -nœ·ic ''a.
    ?[¶; 3 quots.: 1857, 1892, 1899 ----