Stress and anxiety can have similar symptoms, but there are a few differences to be aware of. Increasing self-awareness and understanding patterns of behavior can help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Understanding strategies for stress and anxiety allows for proactive rather than reactive responses. The symptoms of stress and anxiety can look very similar, but there are a few differences.
Stress
Stress is triggered by external stimuli that can generally be recognized. For example: if you've been assigned a big job that needs to be completed by tomorrow, or if you were recently fired and had to pay back bills, or maybe you're going through a global pandemic.
Stress is a common experience that occurs when tasks are perceived as more demanding than we can handle. Anxiety is more intense and occurs when stress is repressed or not managed properly, he says The Minds Journal.
Symptoms of stress:
- Increased irritability
- Disrupts sleep patterns
- Lowers energy levels
- Change in breathing and heart rate
- Headaches
- Changing appetite
- Feeling overwhelmed or a sense of urgency
Stress is not usually seen as a pleasant experience, but the changes that are happening in your body are actually meant to happen. Stress symptoms are basically your body's built-in activation system designed to warn or protect you.
Changes in our breath, temperature or heartbeat are the same changes our ancestors felt when faced with danger.
Anxiety
Anxiety is an internal reaction that occurs when stress is not recognized and not resolved. Unlike stress, anxiety tends to linger even after the worry has passed.
Simply put, stress is like a cold, while anxiety is like allergies. Both can have similar symptoms, but once you get over your cold, you don't have any symptoms. Allergies, on the other hand, are something that should be monitored consistently. Sometimes they can be managed, but they can suddenly start and weaken.
Symptoms of anxiety
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- Repetitive thoughts that are future or past oriented
- You get overwhelmed easily
- Irritability or impatience
- Impossibility of concentration and presence
- Sleep disorders
- Stomach pain or changes in appetite
- Excessive concern or need for control
- Sweating, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat
People will experience higher levels of stress and are more prone to developing anxiety disorders if their basic needs (sleep, nutrition and movement) are not satisfactorily met.
For example, it makes no sense to expect your car to function if you don't maintain it and fill it with gas; the same goes for you. If you don't take care of your basic needs, you won't function at a high level.
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