Anxiety vs. Stress: How to Tell the Difference

Anxiety vs. Stress: How to Tell the Difference

Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably but they aren’t exactly the same. Both stress and anxiety can leave you feeling overwhelmed, but understanding their differences is the first step toward managing them effectively.

What Is Stress?

Stress is your body’s natural response to a challenge or demand. It’s typically tied to a specific external trigger: a looming deadline, a tense conversation, or a financial worry. Stress can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic), and it usually goes away once the situation is resolved.

Common signs of stress:

• Irritability or frustration

• Trouble sleeping

• Physical tension (tight muscles, headaches)

• Difficulty focusing

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety, on the other hand, is more intense and persistent. It doesn’t always need a trigger or obvious cause. Anxiety often lingers even when there’s no immediate threat, and it can feel like a constant state of worry, dread, or unease.

Common signs of anxiety:

• Excessive or uncontrollable worry

• Restlessness or feeling “on edge”

• Fatigue

• Difficulty concentrating

• Sleep disturbances

• Changes in appetite

Key Differences

Stress: Often a brief sense of urgency with external triggers, such as deadlines or events, that ends when the stressor is gone.

Anxiety: A more intense and persistent sense of worry or dread without obvious triggers that an cause distress and impairments in functioning.

When to Seek Help

Everyone can experience stress and anxiety, but if either becomes overwhelming or interferes with your daily life, then it may be time to seek professional support. Therapy, mindfulness, and lifestyle changes can make a significant difference, so call today!

-Ciera Canaday, LCSW (Clinical Director and Psychotherapist)