Stress and Anxiety. Think of them as cousins: similar symptoms, different origins. It's normal for us to have overwhelming moments in our life. Trying to find balance between obligations, responsibilities and fun is a life long struggle for most people. Learning how to be an adult requires effort that most people just can't prepare for.
When struggling with overwhelming feelings, most people want to know - is this stress, or is this anxiety? We all experience degrees of anxiety and stress throughout our lifetime, and chances are even without a formal diagnosis you can organically point to a time in your life you have experienced one or the other. Understanding the difference is key in identifying coping strategies that can lessen the load.
The confusing part is that both stress and anxiety have similar symptomatology. Irritability, digestive issues, insomnia, and fatigue all have cross over between mental stress and physical anxiety.
Here’s the trick to identifying the difference between stress and anxiety: the way we manifest stress is external, while anxiety is internal. Stress is typically brought out by external stressors, such as a fight with a loved one, a work deadline, or experiencing a disruption to your life (losing a job or a loved one). It’s primarily motivated by “the checklist” we have running in our heads, and the desire to get things done that seem particularly overwhelming. Mental stress may start as external, but ultimately becomes an internal process with symptoms that make it hard to adjust to life. In fact, the DSM-5 marks this type of external stress that persists over a period of three months as Adjustment Disorder. This diagnosis can be used to help guide treatment and identify ways to cope with the lasting effects of mental stress.
Anxiety manifests as internal. Meaning even in the absence of an external stressor, sufferers are marked by persistent fear, chronic worry and physical anxiety symptoms that endure for a period of time without ceasing. Anxiety can manifest as several different diagnoses, marked by panic symptoms (shortness of breath, chest tightness) or generalized anxiety (persistent fear and worry). The key difference is that anxiety may start as external (worry over a new job, fear in entering a new situation), but continues to persist as internal once the stressor has faded.
Figuring out the difference in your mental stress or anxiety means understanding both the factors that play into it, and the different ways that we can cope. Foundational coping skills, such as exercise, good sleep hygiene and nutrition, all play a role in managing mild stress and anxiety. However, when we see our symptoms reaching a place where we can’t function as we normally do, it’s time to reach for some professional help.
A licensed clinician can help you navigate the difference between your stress and anxiety, provide you with a relevant diagnosis, and tailor interventions to help you identify the best ways to cope with mental stress or physical anxiety. Therapy makes a critical difference in the way we perceive our symptomatology, and can lead new conclusions on not only the best way to cope, but the roots of our symptoms. Additionally, a combination of psychotherapy and medication can be used to help lessen and control our symptoms.
Remember, it’s normal to experience both stress and anxiety; the turning point for seeking help lies in how it affects our daily functioning. If you are finding yourself bogged down in fear, worry and physical symptoms, it’s time to reach out for help.
As always, rooting for you.
Alexa Cordry, LSW, LCADC
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