Stress vs Anxiety: Is There a Difference?

As Prep students, we have all either felt or known someone who has felt stressed. However, when talking about stress, people also mention anxiety. Contrary to popular belief, there is a difference between the two.

Stress, by definition, is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” Anxiety, on the other hand, is “a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks.” In other words, stress is a feeling you get when you are responding to an uncomfortable situation. Anxiety is the response to being under high levels of stress for prolonged periods of time

Stress is an emotion experienced by every living human, and is not necessarily a bad thing. Because you feel stressed when you are challenged, this feeling actually helps in maintaining your brain function.

Typically, being stressed is a short-term condition that goes away when the stressor disappears. For example, if you are being chased by a bear, you will feel extremely stressed while you are trying to get away from it. However, once you are safely out of harm, you won’t feel stressed anymore; instead you will probably feel relieved.

Physically, stress occurs when your nervous system gets tense, which leads to shallow breathing. It is the first stage leading into anxiety. Physically, anxiety arises when your brain receives too little oxygen, an effect of shallow breathing due to stress.

Unlike stress, anxiety is more of a long-term ailment and is diagnosable as a mental health disorder. Symptoms of this disease include sleepless nights, obsessive worry, and shaking. Many people who have anxiety suffer from loss of appetite, weight gain, headaches, stomach problems, and irregular heart-beats. People who have anxiety are more prone to anxiety/panic attacks, which are triggered by feelings of fear or worry. These emotions alone usually do not cause a person to feel stressed.

According to Prep Counselor Mrs. Boyle. “deep breathing can be the first step to lowering anxiety or stress.” She also adds that thinking of calm, rational thoughts can speed up your recovery.

Throughout your life, you are guaranteed to feel stressed due to any number of causes. When this is the case, just remember to take deep breaths, and try to create a plan to eliminate your stressor. If you are ever feeling anxious and are in need of help, find someone to talk to. A counselor, parent, or good friend will be more than willing to listen to how you’re feeling and help you to calm down, think over the problem(s), and form a solution.