What is the difference between stress & anxiety?
What Is Stress?
Stress is a common phenomenon, especially in the US. Over 90% of visits to primary care providers are for symptoms of stress. 73% of people experience stress that affects their mental health. 77% of people experience stress that affects their physical health.
Stress/overwhelm and anxiety are very similar in how they manifest in the body, within the brain, the impact, and how we cope with them. There are several similarities. We differentiate the two in that stress is really triggered by something specific. There is usually a specific external stressor that's triggering it, it creates a physical response (fight/fight/fawn) and it's typically short-term, so it is time sensitive. We call this acute stress.
An example of stress could be that you have a deadline for a project looming and your computer crashes, rendering you temporarily unable to make your deadline.
In this example, there is a period of time when the pressure and stress were really intense, but you know exactly what was causing it. This is a fear response kicking into place based upon thoughts like: “What if I lose the client?”, “what if I get fired?”, or “What if I have to pull an all-nighter and miss my kid’s basketball game?”.
You may be able to get your computer back up and running and be slightly behind or get a new computer. It may feel very challenging for a period of time but then the stress response levels out and you are back to normal. In those first moments, your stomach might be in knots, you start sweating, your heart beats fast, and glucose & cortisol levels increase to what your brain senses as a physical attack based on what you are thinking and is preparing to run or fight. After the initial alert and once a solution is found, your stress diminishes and your physical state returns back to a state of homeostasis (even functioning).
Stress can also be experienced physically more long-term through insomnia, headaches, irritability, digestive dysfunction, and fatigue.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is much more long-term and can persist after the initial trigger or stressor is resolved. We no longer have a “reason” or trigger for the persistent & worry that we experience. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness accompanied by a rumination of things that could possibly happen in the future, yet may not ever occur. Anxiety can also be accompanied by an accelerated heartbeat, shallow breath or difficulty breathing, sweating, and muscles tensing. These symptoms are also part of a natural stress response but are experienced more frequently & intensely with anxiety.
Anxiety can become chronic and even feel debilitating to some people who experience it.
What Are Common Causes of Stress That Can Turn Into Anxiety?
constant intake of information
nonstop connection to devices and social media
reactive time management
no margin for downtime or self-care
unclear on goals/tasks
not asking for help
perfectionism
overwhelmed at the options available
lack of sleep (symptom and cause of stress)
not allowing rest to become a normal rhythm of life
trying to do all the things all the time
not saying no
not placing boundaries for yourself or others
How Can I Manage My Stress?
Wherever you may be with stress and anxiety, please know that learning to manage it is critical to your physical and mental well-being. Some ways to begin to manage stress may include:
Consider your personal values and assess if your life matches those values
Evaluating your lifestyle and calendar-make adjustments based on how you are spending your time and rearrange your priorities based upon values exercise
Create some margin in your calendar for self-care, rest, and disconnection
Learn to set boundaries in work and personal life
Add an element of play to your week. Give yourself the gift of fun through a hobby, being social, trying new things, and maybe even being adventurous
Work with a counselor or coach to help you get curious and take action on what stress management could look like for you
Wherever you happen to be in your journey, managing your stress and anxiety is critical to your overall health-mental & physical. Stress management can be accomplished through intentional support and self-awareness. Creating new habits and learning to set boundaries, say no, and finding ways to completely disconnect and reset your mind are vital to your health.
References:
https://www.neuroscienceinc.com/news/2020/the-effects-of-stress-and-anxiousness-on-your-health#:~:text=75%25%20to%2090%25%20of%20all,ailments%2C%20complaints%2C%20and%20concerns.
Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G. When Physicians Counsel About Stress: Results of a National Study. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76–77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480