Do you find yourself confused about how to distinguish between anxiety and stress? You are not alone. Although both anxiety and stress are natural emotional responses, sometimes they can be overwhelming. They are complex and interconnected experiences that can have a significant effect on our mental and physical health. In this blog, we are going to explore their differences, similarities and ways of management.
What Is Anxiety?
It is a persistent or excessive fear that persists even without presence of a specific threat or trigger. It is also referred to as the fear of the unknown. It is a mental health condition that can interfere with our daily lives, relationships and overall well-being. It can manifest emotionally, mentally and physically. Its common symptoms are as follows;
- Rapid heart beat
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Stomach issues (nausea, diarrhoea or constipation)
- Sleep disturbances
- Fear that interferes with daily life
- Difficulty concentrating
Learn more facts about anxiety.
What Is Stress?
Stress is a natural response of our body to a perceived threat or a trigger. The trigger can either be short-term like an upcoming exam, work deadlines or long-term like suffering from chronic pain or disease, financial problems. Stress can be acute or chronic. Acute stress is helpful as it motivates us to face the challenges and meet demands but if it becomes long term it can take a toll on our mental as well as physical well-being. Many symptoms of both anxiety and stress overlap. Common symptoms of stress closely resemble with the symptoms of anxiety, like;
- Rapid heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Stomach issues (nausea, diarrhoea or constipation)
- Sleep disturbances
- Feeling of being overwhelmed
- Anxious thoughts
- Difficulty concentrating
Differences Between Stress And Anxiety:
Presence of A Trigger:
The main difference between them is the presence of a specific trigger. Stress is linked to a specific trigger, and when the trigger is gone, the stress is also gone. On the other hand anxiety can persist even after the trigger is gone, or even in the absence or anticipation of a trigger.
Duration:
Stress is typically a short term response to a specific situation or trigger, while anxiety is a persistent or ongoing experience.
Intensity:
Anxiety is often more intense and debilitating than stress and interferes more with daily life.
Focus:
Stress is mostly focused on a specific situation while anxiety is more generalised and pervasive.
Coping Mechanisms:
Stress can often be managed well with coping mechanisms like meditation, exercise etc while anxiety needs a more intensive treatment like therapy or medications.
Similarities Between Anxiety And Stress:
Mechanism:
Both anxiety and stress are caused when the ‘fight or flight’ response of our body is activated and there is release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
Physical Symptoms:
As explained above, both anxiety and stress share almost similar physical symptoms like fast heartbeat, trembling and sweating.
Emotional Distress:
Both can lead to emotional distress leading to feelings like worry, fear and uncertainty.
Impact On Daily Life:
Both interfere with our daily life activities and overall well-being.
The comparison of anxiety vs stress may go independently, however unmanaged and persistent stress might end up in a state of anxiety.
Management For Anxiety And Stress:
Here are some management techniques and tips that can help with both anxiety and stress:
- Relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation and yoga
- Gentle exercise like walking or cycling
- Practice self care like spending some time to enjoy your hobbies or connect with nature
- Eat Healthy
- Take Adequate Sleep
- Seek social support
- Seek professional help when needed
Anxiety may require more intensive treatment including:
Therapies:
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) : It is the most commonly used therapy for anxiety which involves replacing the negative thought patterns with the positive ones.
Exposure Therapy: It involves gradual and safe exposure to the specific triggers that cause anxiety.
Medication:
Selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline.
Benzodiazepines such as diazepam and lorazepam.
When To Seek Professional Help:
Unmanaged anxiety and stress can have devastating effects on your well-being. These are the alarming signs to go for professional help:
- Your symptoms are intense and persistent enough to interfere with your daily life activities.
- You are not able to cope with them on your own.
- You are avoiding social interactions.
- You are having thoughts about self harm.
- They are negatively affecting your physical well-being.
- You are thinking about turning to maladaptive coping mechanisms like smoking, substance abuse etc.
If you are finding it difficult to cope with your anxiety or stress, you can contact organisations like mind to get help and guidance.
If you are suffering from anxiety or stress and need some time off work or school to focus on your well-being, you might need a sick note to take an official leave. You can get a sick note online, within a few minutes by an EU licensed doctor, from the comfort of your home.