We often use the words stress and anxiety interchangeably, but these are too unique if not similar phenomena.

Stress is a physical and mental response to some type of change, threat or stressor. It’s often possible to pinpoint where the stress originates from though everyone may react to the same stressor differently. Symptoms of stress are far-reaching and can include:

• Irritability, anger, impatience
• Feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope
• Anxious or nervous
• Depressed
• Unhappy
• Aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Change in appetite
• Headache, dizziness

Anxiety is also a regular phenomenon that many people experience often however it can become problematic when it goes out of control and impacts your life significantly. The symptoms of anxiety might be similar to those of stress however anxiety can cause people to go into deep depression, to stop eating, to avoid meeting people, to not leave their house, etc. Anxiety can also cause panic attacks which make it difficult to breathe and can be extremely scary.

How do you tell the difference between the two?

• Stress is usually caused by a specific stressor whereas anxiety can be more broad
• Anxiety can make it difficult to function normally
• Stress is a reaction to real things in the world whereas anxiety could be about something that has not yet happened or is in your mind
• Both of these can lead to an anxiety disorder

There are many ways to manage stress and anxiety such as exercise and meditation, however if you are experiencing severe symptoms please contact a professional.