Stress and anxiety are normal reactions and emotions that everyone experiences at some point in their life. However, if stress and anxiety become unmanageable, both can result in severe mental and physical health issues. The good news is that anxiety disorders and chronic stress are both 100% treatable. Our Anxiety Therapists at Therapy Cincinnati specializes in providing therapeutic support for those struggling with stress and/or anxiety. Understanding the difference between stress and anxiety and knowing when to request professional support are the first steps towards finding relief and developing effective emotional management.
What is stress?
Stress is our body’s normal response to any situation that is not pleasant or normal. The stress response can be physical, mental, or emotional, and everyone responds differently to different stressors. Heavy workload, demanding home responsibilities, traumatic experiences, or major life changes such as a death, job loss, or divorce are all common triggers that can activate a stress response. Although stressful situations are challenging they are typically manageable, and a small dose of stress can motivate us in positive and productive ways to accomplish a task. However, if stress becomes overwhelming or persists then side effects such as depression, physical pain, digestive issues, heart disease, weight loss/gain, and insomnia can put your mental and physical health at extreme risk.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is another normal reaction that most people experience. Important events, life moments, tests, high-stake assignments, social interactions, pandemics, or traveling can all elicit nervous sensations of fear and worry. The symptoms of anxiety can be the same as the side effects of stress, but anxiety has a unique type of paralyzing symptom. Anxiety can leave people physically unable to respond to a text or phone call, go to work, or even breath. People who struggle with anxiety might miss out on events, avoid social interactions, and be absent from work more often than normal. Anxiety can render someone completely powerless to perform even mundane tasks. Chronic anxiety, or anxiety that consistently reoccurs over an extended period even in the absence of stressful situations, may indicate an anxiety disorder.
The difference between the two
More often than not stress tends to be an external issue, for example a critical and high-profile work project with a tight deadline. If you are not coping with externally stressful situations yet you still feel emotionally distressed, you are likely dealing with anxiety. Additionally, stress triggers tend to have a universally shared stress response meaning that most people will experience a stress reaction in response to a stress trigger. Anxiety tends to be experienced at a more personal level, and someone coping with anxiety might have trouble explaining why they are worried or fearful. In this way, someone struggling with anxiety might have a reaction that seems unusually excessive and outsized for the reality of the situation.
When to get help
Fortunately, anxiety and stress are completely treatable. If you are reading this wondering if you might need help, then chances are you would benefit from anxiety and stress therapy. However, if you are still unsure if you need professional support, then the checklist below should help you. If you answer yes to even one of the questions below, then Therapy Cincinnati wants to help you find relief. Our Anxiety Therapists offer effective anxiety therapy and can provide helpful stress management support. Have you had a significant life change recently such as a death in the family, a trauma, a divorce, car accident, or other major event?
1. Has your stressful situation negatively influenced one or more of your relationships?
2. Are you experiencing chronic headaches, insomnia, depression, suicidal thoughts, digestive issues, physical pain, or changes in your weight?
3. Is your day-to-day life typically high stress?
4. Do you miss more than one day of work each month on account of stress or anxiety?
5. Do you fear or dread things that haven’t happened or are nonexistent even when you are not stressed?
6. Have you missed out on an event or social interaction recently on account of high levels of anxiety?
7. Have you recently had a panic attack?
8. Do you avoid social interactions on a regular basis due to feelings of worry or fear?
9. Do you experience emotional distress even when there is no stressful situation going on?
If you are ready to take the next step towards relief from your anxiety and developing strong stress management techniques, our Anxiety Therapists at Therapy Cincinnati will create a support plan uniquely curated to your specific needs. Therapy Cincinnati is ready to partner with you on your journey to finding comfort and healing. Please contact us today for a free, 15-minute phone consultation.