Bustle/ 9 Fascinating Ways To Tell The Difference Between Gut Instincts & Anxiety, According To Experts

One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a gut instinct and anxiety is by how long your symptoms last. "A gut instinct is often a reaction to an immediate situation," Weinberg says. "Anxiety, on the other hand, might be present regardless of its relevance to your current experience."

Take that dark parking garage, for instance. If you experience a desire to run quickly to your car, that might be your gut instinct guiding you away from danger. But if you feel that level of anxiety all day long, well, it's probably anxiety.

Anxiety tends to be future-focused in a very unhealthy way. So if "your head is swarming with hypotheticals and worst case scenarios," it's likely not your gut instinct, Weinberg says.

Anxiety symptoms might even keep you up at night, as you think ahead to work projects, worry about your health, or wonder about the future of your relationship. Unlike intuition, anxiety likes to zero in on things you can't control (AKA, the future).

While both anxiety and intuition can create an unsettled feeling, anxiety will likely lead to more uncertainty — while instincts will feel more concrete.

"Your gut is your internal wisdom," clinical psychologist Dr. Helen Odessky, tells Bustle. "You may be afraid to act on it but it feels certain, very much unlike anxiety which feels like uncertainty."

That's why, if you're waffling back and forth and can't decide what to do, you can rest assured whatever's on your mind is likely anxiety-fueled.

Unlike gut instincts, anxiety doesn't have any redeeming qualities. And it may even start to negatively impact your life. So take note if you are starting to avoid certain situations, or can't seem to function in a healthy way.

"When our 'intuition' or 'gut instinct' starts to interfere with how we’re handling life, it can be an indication that we are struggling with anxiety," therapist Marinelle Reynolds, LCSW, tells Bustle.

A gut instinct may steer you away from an unsafe situation, but anxiety might steer you away from most situations. And when that's the case, you'll no longer be able to tell what's worth worrying about.

It really can help to look at the actual definition of anxiety, in order to figure out what's causing your stressful feelings, especially if they're sticking around.

"The DSM-V (the diagnostic manual mental health professionals use to diagnose disorders, including anxiety) outlines the specific symptoms of general anxiety, which include: excessive worry and anxiety, difficulty controlling the worry, and physical symptoms related to the anxiety, such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and difficulty with sleep," therapist Julie Williamson, LPC, NCC, RPT tells Bustle.

It may be helpful to speak with a therapist, if you are experiencing these symptoms, since they can help you find ways to cope. Once you begin to heal yourself of anxiety, you'll be able to better tune into your intuition.

One of the nice things about gut instincts is that they can be "easily tested," Weinberg says. "Anxious worry cannot." So if you want to tell which is which, look to your surroundings for some concrete evidence.

"For example, if you have a 'gut instinct' that your basement is leaking during a storm, you can verify this easily with a visit to the basement," she says. If your basement is full of water, go ahead and thank your gut for tipping you off that something was wrong.

If, however, "you are worried about the structure and safety of your house and can't stop thinking about when something might break or if the basement will flood next time it rains, these are doubts and uncertainties that fall under the umbrella of anxiety — not immediate danger," Weinberg says. "They are fueled by uncertainty and have no knowable answers."

"[A] gut instinct is how we feel 'right now.' It’s based on a highly evolved project survival strategy based in pattern recognition," Spencer Coursen, a threat management expert, tells Bustle. "I stubbed my toe while walking in the kitchen. My gut instinct is that it might happen again. So now I am very careful about my step placement moving forward."

Compare this to anxiety. "Anxiety would be if I projected that singular occurrence into a future-based fear of walking because now I feel it’s not safe to walk," he says. See the difference?

Gut instincts often cause everything to slow down, as they direct you where you need to go. "There is a center of calm knowing with gut instinct, a certainty on a specific topic," Reiki Master and intuitive Stephanie Whitehead, tells Bustle. This is very unlike anxiety, which tends to cause chaotic, scattered thinking.