Are You Feeling Overwhelmed? Is it Stress or Anxiety?
Is it stress or anxiety? Does it matter which one it is?
Susanna Sung, LCSW-C
8/3/20252 min read
Is it "Just Stress" or is it Anxiety?
My private practice is in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, or the DMV. I’m midway between Baltimore and Washington, DC. When I first moved here almost 30 years ago, it took me a long time to figure out people weren’t talking about the Department of Motor Vehicles. Living and working right outside of DC can be really stressful, with the heart and head of the federal government and our country’s inner workings right in our backyard.
Especially now. It’s hard for everyone right now, and some days are better than others. Even if you don’t live near the national’s capital, life is stressful. Maybe you have a really important test coming up, or a big project at work, or you have health problems. Maybe today’s news headlines are making you panic, or you haven’t been able to find a good job, or you’re not sure what direction you want to go in life. Maybe you’re planning your daughter’s wedding, or packing your son off to college, or moving into your dream home. Positive things can be stressful too.
So how do you know if it’s “just stress” or if it’s anxiety? That’s a really great question. Sometimes we use the words interchangeably. Everyone feels stress from time to time. Here’s one way to look at it:
Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.
Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.
If that anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.
If you’re struggling to cope or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety begin to interfere with your everyday life, it may be time to talk to a professional. Consider reaching out to your primary care provider, a psychiatrist, or therapist.
