Final answer:
Normal anxiety is an adaptive response to stress, while abnormal anxiety is excessive and persistent, leading to various psychological disorders. The DSM is used to diagnose anxiety disorders, and the diathesis-stress model helps explain the interaction between predisposition and environmental stress in triggering abnormal anxiety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Normal anxiety is a common emotional response to stress or potential threats, which can prompt an individual to take precautions or improve performance. On the other hand, abnormal anxiety is characterized by excessive and persistent worry that interferes with daily activities and lasts for months. This type of anxiety can manifest as various disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and phobias.
The degree of anxiety one experiences can be influenced by genetic predisposition, coping mechanisms, environmental stressors, and underlying medical conditions.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is used by clinicians to diagnose anxiety disorders based on specific criteria, which include the type, frequency, duration of symptoms, and their impact on the individual's life.
Normal anxiety is typically a response to a stressor or threat, whereas abnormal anxiety may be triggered without a clear cause or be disproportionate to the triggering event. Factors such as the diathesis-stress model may affect how individuals experience anxiety, suggesting that a predisposition to anxiety coupled with stress can elicit an abnormal anxiety reaction.