What is the difference between excitement and anxiety?

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I don't seem to be able to distinguish between anxiety and excitement. I'm not sure if it is because the things that many people feel excited about I just feel anxious about. Or if I am confused by the similarity in physical experience of the emotions. If someone says "you must be so excited about that" I think to myself "...am I? I don't think that is what that feeling is."

How do you distinguish between these feelings? Perhaps when I feel excited the feelings are overwhelming and then I flow straight into anxiety by default.

They are similar, but excitement is essentially a positive, pleasant feeling, whereas anxiety isn't.

exitement is a feeling like "i cant wait untill X happens", while anxiety is a feeling of "i wish X would not happen/would be over with".
a little simular, but different, and can be applied to the same situation, like going to the movies or travelling

I'm not sure that I can feel just excitement. When I feel excited about something it feels too big and that I can't handle it. Would this be a problem regulating emotions due to AS?

Anxiety has an element of fear though milder anxiety might feel more like physical tension without any definite cause for worry or trepidation.

Then there's the feeling you get when you've had too much caffeine or you're really wired and jittery. It's more a feeling of inner restlessness and/or impatience. There's an element of excitement but after a while it becomes more unpleasant than nice feeling. It's definitely not the same as the kind of anxiety described in the first instance but the English language doesn't seem to have a separate term for it.

The two emotions are very much related. Honestly, I never noticed much of a difference. I think it is more related to the context... the symptoms are basically the same as far as I know. They are types of stress and stress can be caused by both good and bad things. Perhaps the key difference with excitement is just that it comes with an overall positive feeling too. Maybe for you the positive side never occurs and that's why it's hard to tell the difference.

I think with me it is my default is to feel anxious, like you said alexi. I was thinking similar to syrella in fact I seem to remember reading somewhere that it's actually the same response the body has to anxiety and excitement but it depends on how your brain interprets it. It is annoying because I would like to be able to feel excitement towards things but I just seem to get anxious. Also like Sparx said I have had experiences where I have been excited I think but it just flips over to anxiety and then I find it hard and sometimes impossible to remain calm.

Excitement is adrenaline plus happiness, whereas anxiety is adrenaline plus fear. They actually feel quite similar, which is why people will often say that they are "anxious" about something they are anticipating.

I believe the only difference is what kinds of thoughts you are thinking about along with the feeling happening. I try to just be aware of that and while feeling anxiety/excitement just allow it and let go of the negative stories in my head. It will pass and when it does then I can think about what needs to be done. Thinking during excitement/anxiety generally doesn't produce the most desirable results. The feeling itself moves through much more quickly if I don't make it about anything. Almost like thinking of it more in terms of a bit of acid reflex that will pass. I've had it turn back into a positive feeling too.

Anxiety is a panic attack. basically your body pumps out blood/air or whatever to fast. so that the muscles contract. thats is what my psychologist told me.

well in my experince anxiety isent a emotion/sensation. Its more like a panic attack or an contraction that causes not good sensations.

Egg feels good.
Anx feels bad.

I feel Egg bester than Anx.

To me, excitement is a happy feeling and anxiety is a scared feeling.

Excitement good, anxiety bad.

I'm surprised so many seem to think the two feel the same.
Excitement feels so good, makes me happy and hyper and feeling bubbly, while anxiety is so negative, full of tension and fear, and unhappy restlessness.