Stress or Anxiety....What is the Difference?
You feel tense, your stomach feels jittery, you have problems sleeping, and it is so hard to relax. Are you stressed or are you anxious? This article will try to help you determine the difference. Stress and anxiety are often intermingled in our conversations. A person might experience stress which usually has some similar sensations to anxiety and say to themselves “I have anxiety. Do I need help?” Stress and anxiety have a lot of overlap. They have similar symptoms such as muscle tension, faster heartbeat, shallower and faster breathing, restlessness, and difficulties focusing on something else but they are 2 different things.
Usually when someone experiences stress they have an idea of what they are stressed about. They might have had an argument with their spouse, their child might have problems at school, they might be trying to buy a house. In other words, there is an experience or life situation from their outer world that is causing inner disturbance or conflict. Their mind is trying to wrestle with solving the dilemma or coming up with the solution to a problem. Stress is generally short term, and disappears when the problem is solved or when a solution is reached.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is generally not explained by outer world problems, but is a problem generated by inner world imaginings. It usually is not created by outside happenings even though it can definitely be increased by such. Anxiety is usually increased by inner thoughts such as what if I get into an argument with my friend. They’ll hate me and then they might die. What would I do then? In other words their mind creates the turmoil that they fear. The mind “what ifs” itself into fear. Sometimes though anxiety does not have any specific thoughts and at times the anxiety about being anxious triggers more anxiety. Anxiety has with a more generalized feeling of fear.
The DSM V criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder is as follows:
Excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months
The individual finds it difficult to control the worry
There must be at least 3 of the following symptoms as well
Restlessness 2. Being easily fatigued 3. Difficulties concentrating 4.Irritability 5.Muscle tension 6. Sleep disturbance
The worry and the symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning.
So in short, one has to experience the worry, difficulties controlling the worry, at least 3 of the above symptoms which cause difficulties functioning socially, at work or school, or problems with family or other important areas of life for at most days for at least 6 months.
Can stress turn into anxiety? I feel that it can. If stresses happen often enough, or go on long enough, and seem as they can’t be solved successfully it think that it creates the perfect atmosphere for anxiety to grow and flourish. Outside stressors become inside worries that never go away and fear becomes the first and foremost mindset. If stresses are difficult to solve successfully the mind can create stories of being a constant failure and begin to create the feeling of constant upcoming