It's fear when I cross the street away from the guy in a MAGA hat; it's anxiety when I refresh Google News for the twelfth time in one day just to see if any new bad things have happened in the world because nothing's worse than not knowing. Does that make sense?

Honestly, anxiety isn't even generalized fear; it's generalized panic. It's not "I'm not safe" but "there is no safe." I'm scared of CBP confiscating my passport or detaining me because I'm trans; I'm anxious I forgot my passport entirely, but if I get it out now I'll drop it, but if I don't I'll...

Fear is "I'm not in a safe situation" or even "what if I'm not as safe as I feel? What if that cop looks at me twice, or that car doesn't slow down?" Anxiety is "I'm in my home making dinner and my fight or flight instinct is screaming. No peace lasts. Every word I say digs my grave deeper."

Fear comes from the mind, and is about something, and causes physiological responses instead of the other way around; none of those have to be true for anxiety. Anxiety can't be reasoned with directly. My meds can give me anxiety as a side effect; my PTSD gives me anxiety when it flares up.

They're a Venn diagram, but if you ask me, the overlap is very small. I'm having an anxious night right now - my palms are clammy, my heart is thrumming, and every sound makes me jump. But nothing's on my mind. I had a social trigger hours ago; I felt/feel safe, but my nervous system doesn't get it.