Stress and anxiety are prevalent issues today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 12.5% of people over the age of 18 report regularly feeling nervous, worried or anxious. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that around 83% of workers in the United States report work-related stress, with more than half saying stress impacts their home life.
Stress is a natural part of life and, in some situations, is the body’s way of initiating critical fight-or-flight responses. But when it comes to stress vs. anxiety, what’s the difference? Find out more about stress and anxiety below, including how to tell when you might need help dealing with your anxiety.
What Is the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?
Stress is a response to external demands or stimuli, while anxiety is a persistent feeling that may not always have an external trigger. In many cases, anxiety is a response to stress that isn’t well controlled or is chronic.
Stress and anxiety are linked and can be easily confused. For example, you can feel both stress and anxiety that are appropriate for the situation at hand, but it’s also possible to have stress or anxiety reactions that aren’t aligned with the level of the external or internal stimuli. For example, a student might feel stress about an upcoming exam that makes them study more than they normally would or leads them to seek out coping mechanisms (these may be healthy or unhealthy). They may have feelings of anxiety about the test, including physical symptoms such as a nervous stomach.
However, if the student starts to consider the long-term implications of performing poorly on the test, they might have more stress and anxiety. They may begin to imagine scenarios where this one test is the pass-or-fail mechanism for their entire life. This can lead to stress and anxiety at inappropriate levels for the situation, up to and including panic attacks.
If you wonder whether you’re dealing with stress or anxiety, consider some key differences:
- Stress typically relates to a clear trigger, while anxiety may or may not be related to a known trigger.
- Stress is usually temporary during the period surrounding the trigger event, while anxiety may persist even after the situation is resolved.
- Stress can be very intense in any given moment, but anxiety can be intense for longer periods of time.
- Regular everyday stress (the body’s natural reaction to certain triggers) doesn’t typically interfere with your ability to live life, while regular anxiety can impact your ability to make decisions and function normally in the day-to-day.
When Everyday Stress Becomes a Problem
Though stress is a natural and appropriate reaction in many cases, chronic stress can become a problem. When you experience stress that lasts for extended periods of time, your ability to cope with that stress may be reduced. You can begin struggling to function in daily life and experience physical, mental and emotional symptoms related to your stress.
Some situations where everyday stress crosses the line between a normal reaction and a potential mental health challenge include:
- Stress blossoms into ongoing anxiety. When your stress response doesn’t subside once a trigger has passed or your stress response is more than the situation warrants, it may indicate your stress has turned into anxiety. This out-of-balance response might occur because situations are “bigger” in your head than they actually are, you have an anxiety disorder or there are other mental or physical health concerns that are impacting your ability to deal with stress.
- You can’t escape stress triggers. Stress responses can’t subside if the external stimuli are always present. Someone who’s dealing with an especially demanding job, family caregivers who are tasked with caring for chronically ill loved ones or students with too-heavy academic loads are some examples of people who may experience chronic stress. Even if this stress doesn’t become ongoing anxiety, it can lead to physical and mental health issues.
- You’re no longer able to control stress with healthy coping mechanisms. For whatever reason, if you find yourself turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with stress, it can be a problem. Unhealthy coping can include self-medicating with drugs or alcohol, overeating, lashing out at others or engaging in any other self-destructive behavior.
The Impact on Mental and Physical Health
Unhealthy levels of stress or ongoing anxiety can lead to long-term health issues. Some negative impacts of chronic stress or anxiety include:
- Higher risks of chronic illnesses, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, due to rising cortisol levels and potentially poor coping mechanisms related to food, drink or drugs
- Digestive issues, including intermittent “nervous stomach” and more chronic issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome
- Issues with sleep, including problems falling and staying asleep, unhealthy sleep patterns or sleeping too much
- Chronic pain, including muscle and joint aches, headaches, neck and back pain or issues in other areas of the body
- Higher risks of mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression or panic disorders
- Social withdrawal that can lead to loneliness and isolation, decreasing positive coping outlets and increasing risks for unhealthy coping behavior
Seeking Help for Anxiety-Related Issues
Adopting positive and healthy stress-management techniques as soon as you feel stressed can help mitigate negative long-term outcomes and ensure you manage stress well on a day-to-day basis. Methods for dealing with stress can include breathing exercises, physical exercise like walking or running, eating a well-balanced diet and engaging in restful or relaxing activities. For example, many people find creating crafts or art or enjoying a good book helps them reduce stress and recover from a triggering event or difficult day.
However, when stress becomes chronic or if you’re dealing with anxiety, these methods may not bring long-term relief — or any relief at all. When that happens, you may need help in managing anxiety and stress. Reaching out to experienced mental health professionals so you can engage in therapy and other treatment modalities can help.
Contact Restore Mental Health Today
Our team can help you understand whether your everyday stress has crossed the line into something that needs to be addressed in treatment. We’ll listen to your story, discuss your options and provide you with guidance about potential next steps — all confidentially and compassionately.
Learn more about how Restore Mental Health can help with your anxiety today. Contact us online or give us a call.
