MENTAL HEALTH: Is it stress or anxiety?

The terms ‘stress’ and ‘anxiety’ are sometimes used interchangeably, so much so that is hard to know what separates them. They can both feel similar, but they are different experiences that require different approaches. It could be useful to understand where one begins and the other ends, as recognising the difference between them helps in managing them in a more effective way.
In a nutshell, stress is how our bodies react to something that is happening in our world. It ranges from the minor to the major and can be a response to something like exams, a deadline or visiting a new place. In these scenarios, your body goes into ‘fight or flight’ mode, which can actually be quite overwhelming. You’ll notice your body tense and your heart rate increase. As unpleasant as that all may sound, the one positive thing is that it is typically temporary. It’s usually tied to that specific situation or event, and will disappear once that event has passed.
Anxiety, on the other hand, anxiety is more constant. It is a worry or feeling that something bad is going to happen, even when there may be no clear reason for these feelings. Anxiety can take root and be present for a while, even in the absence of an immediate or upcoming problem. Perhaps you cannot identify why you are feeling this anxiousness, or you might attribute it to a specific trigger, but even when that issue is resolved the anxiety remains. Anxiety involves persistent and excessive worries that won’t go away.

Links
There are links between stress and anxiety, though, making it harder to separate the two. For example, the physical symptoms can be similar. Reactions like a racing heart, feeling tense, sweating and difficulty sleeping are common across both stress and anxiety. Mental and emotional symptoms, such as irritability, anger and mental fatigue, may also take hold and make this a trying time for you.
Stress can, on occasion, lead to anxiety. This may happen if you’re experiencing prolonged periods of stress, for example in relation to work or school. As your mind becomes more familiar with these feelings, worrying almost becomes a habit, bleeding into other areas of your life. This worry about no stressor in particular can be classed as anxiety.
Furthermore, if you are someone who is prone to anxiety, new stressful situations can make it even worse and more difficult to get a handle on.

Why differentiate?
Why is important to be aware of the the similarities and differences between stress and anxiety? There are a number of valid reasons why it’s useful to avoid conflating the two. Firstly, it’s useful to have an understanding of the root cause of your feelings, or you could mistake your anxiety for stress. This could lead you to focusing on the external stress triggers rather than addressing the root cause of anxiety.
There are of course different ways of coping with each, with anxiety maybe requiring professional help in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy or other helpful techniques.
If you downplay your anxiety as ‘just stress’, I would worry that you wouldn’t be getting the correct support to help you.
Knowing the difference between the two is also important when speaking to friends, family or professionals about what you are experiencing. Being clear about what is happening for you will help them understand how they can best support you.

Sadhbh Dunne is a qualified life coach based in Westport. She is the founder of Ember Coaching (embercoaching.ie) and can be reached at sadhbh@embercoaching.ie.