Anxiety vs. Stress: What Are the Similarities and Differences?

If you feel perpetually stressed, you’re in good company. Research shows that a staggering 74% of people felt overwhelmed or unable to cope with their stress in the past year.

Stress can affect every part of your life, and it may seem like it’s impossible to slow down or relax. But what’s the difference between stress and an actual anxiety disorder? Does stress lead to anxiety? And how do you manage these distressing symptoms?

Let’s examine some of the main differences between anxiety vs. stress.

Understanding How Stress Works

Stress refers to either physical or emotional tension. Almost anything can cause a stressed reaction, although you may be more susceptible to certain triggers.

Stress is universal, and we all experience it. In many cases, your stress can actually be productive and motivating. Think about it. If you never felt stressed, you probably wouldn’t get much done! You wouldn’t feel worried about meeting a deadline or impressing your new partner’s family. You also wouldn’t be able to interpret danger very well, which could jeopardize your safety.

But chronic stress tends to jeopardize any of those positive benefits. That’s because chronic stress keeps you in a perpetual fight-or-flight mind. Over time, this mode tends to affect your emotional and physical health.

Common symptoms of chronic stress include:

●     Headaches or migraines.

●     Indigestion or acid reflux.

●     Appetite changes.

●     Sleep problems.

●     Muscle tension, particularly in the back, neck, or shoulder areas.

●     Racing heart.

●     Sexual difficulties.

●     Grinding teeth and clenched jaw.

●     Dizziness.

●     Increased cravings for drugs or alcohol.

●     Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness.

●     Irritability.

●     Withdrawal from usual activities or relationships.

●     Low energy.

Keep in mind that stress can be insidious. Many people don’t realize it’s true toll until they’ve been struggling for several months or years. Instead, they tend to push it down and “power through.”

Furthermore, we live in a society that tends to embrace stress, and it’s not uncommon for people to brag about how much they have on their plates. This unspoken competition can make it challenging for you to recognize the impact stress has on your well-being.

Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion, and just like stress, we all experience anxiety from time to time. Usually, we feel anxious about challenging situations. We may also feel anxious when we are anticipating bad news.

If you’re struggling with chronic anxiety, you may have an anxiety disorder. There are several different types of anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD refers to non-specific anxiety. People with GAD report feeling anxious in numerous settings. GAD is on a spectrum- in some cases, the anxiety may feel mild. In others, it feels so severe that it can feel difficult to function.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder refers to the presence of anxiety in social situations. If you struggle with this condition, you experience intense worry about how others perceive you. This anxiety can make small interactions feel dreadful.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder can happen as a result of frequent panic attacks. Panic attacks are a physical cluster of symptoms that may include a racing heartbeat, sweating, chest tightness, and the feeling of being smothered or drowned. The fear of having a panic attack may trigger anxiety, which can then trigger the panic attack.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can occur after a traumatic event, such as being assaulted or surviving a natural disaster. Common PTSD symptoms include nightmares, avoiding certain situations or people, flashbacks, and dissociation (feeling like you’re not really there).

Phobias

A phobia refers to an elevated fear about a specific event or object. For example, you may have a phobia of crowded, enclosed spaces (agoraphobia). Or, you may experience the fear of flying (aerophobia). Most of the time, people recognize their fears as irrational, but they still feel intensely anxious.

Anxiety Vs. Stress: Which One Are You Struggling With?

Stress and anxiety go hand-in-hand. Subsequently, many people with anxiety disorders report feeling extremely stressed.

Stress tends to have a specific cause. For example, if you’re in the middle of moving homes, it’s normal to feel stressed about packing, signing loan paperwork, and adjusting to a new neighborhood. Typically, the stress subsides once you acclimate to the new situation.

Anxiety, however, tends to be more persistent. It doesn’t necessarily correlate with a specific event or trigger. Regardless of whether or not the situation objectively improves, anxiety can trick you into thinking that you’re still in danger. Therefore, people with anxiety disorders can still experience immense anxiety, even if things appear to be “going well.”

How Therapy Can Help

Knowing the difference between anxiety vs. stress can help you understand your treatment goals. That said, therapy can address both issues in a safe and supportive environment.

Together, we will process your feelings, explore your barriers, and discover healthier ways to cope with your distress. You don’t have to feel this way forever! Contact me today to get started.