On the surface, it can be difficult to tell the difference between stress and anxiety. These terms are often used interchangeably when we talk about feelings of worry or dread. While stress and anxiety share many symptoms, they are two distinct conditions.
Stress
Stress is a typical reaction that everyone experiences at some point. Stress is often brought about by external factors that can be positive or negative: perhaps you’re struggling with school, or maybe you’re getting ready for a new job. These external circumstances are what trigger the physical symptoms associated with stress. However, because they are related to a specific situation or problem, these symptoms usually go away once the issue has been resolved. Additionally, symptoms tend to be proportional to what you would expect given the specific situation or problem that you’re facing. For instance, if you’ve been losing sleep over an important exam, you can expect your symptoms to go away after you’ve turned in your test, as if a weight has been lifted.
While stress can cause disruption and a sense of uneasiness to our lives, it can also be a positive force. Many times, stress is what drives us to push ourselves to go to the next or finish an assignment we’ve been putting off.
Anxiety
Anxiety is an atypical reaction that is often internally driven. Anxiety can often come about unexpectedly, seemingly for no reason. While anxiety can be triggered by specific situations or events, similar to stress, the response tends to be stronger or disproportionate to what has happened. More so, anxiety-related symptoms often persist after the circumstance has resolved and can feel difficult to manage long-term. This often causes people experiencing anxiety to avoid situations or activities that may trigger their anxiety or cause symptoms to worsen.
Anxiety can also present itself with more serious or frightening symptoms, such as panic attacks, an abrupt sense of fear or discomfort that often feels like a heart attack. While not everyone with anxiety experiences panic attacks, they are unique to anxiety, and are not a symptom of stress.
Symptoms to look out for
As mentioned, stress and anxiety share a wide range of physical symptoms. Additionally, these conditions are not mutually exclusive: you can experience anxiety and stress at the same time. Here are some physical symptoms to look out for if you think you may be experiencing stress or anxiety. Remember that the duration, persistence and overall intensity of these symptoms may provide clues as to which condition you’re experiencing.
Resources
If you are having a difficult time managing your stress or anxiety, Counseling & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) is here to help. They offer a variety of free services to students experiencing stress and anxiety, including: