Is it stress or anxiety?

Your heart is racing, droplets of sweat are running down your forehead and your breathing is shallow.

Is it stress? Or anxiety? How can you tell? And what’s the difference?

I can almost guarantee that you will experience both stress and anxiety at some point in your life.

What is stress?

Stress is normal. It is a natural response to the environment around us and the events unfolding in our lives and the world. Having some stress in your life can actually be helpful – the adrenaline spike that occurs when we’re under short-term stress can help us perform better both physically and mentally. (Who didn’t do their best school or uni assignments at the last minute? I know I did!)

Stress is a reaction to a stressor. Back in the days when we carried clubs and lived in caves a sabre tooth tiger chasing us through the jungle would have been a stressor. In that situation, feeling stressed was a good thing – it would have initiated your body’s “fight or flight’ response, which would have helped you run away from said sabre tooth tiger.

Today our stressors are more likely to be looming deadlines, arguments with loved ones, or those bills piling up on the kitchen bench. Feeling worried or nervous about any of these things wouldn’t be unusual.

But if you suffer from anxiety – those feelings of worry and nervousness are ongoing – they don’t subside once that stressor is gone, and it can be hard to pinpoint why they are started.

Anxiety – more common than you think

Anxiety is very common (particularly these days), it is actually the most common mental health condition in Australia, affecting 1 in every 4 adults. (And given the veritable shit-show that 2020 has presented to so many people I’m sure those numbers are much higher now).

What does anxiety feel like?

They way anxiety feels, and the way people experience anxiety varies from one person to another. Some of the most common physical and psychological symptoms are listed below. You may experience all of these, or just some of them if you suffer from anxiety.

Physically anxiety can cause a range of symptoms. The most common are:

Restlessness
Rapid breathing
Racing heart
Tightness in the chest
Shaking
Excessive sweating
Physical tension
Feeling easily fatigued
Stomach cramps and nausea
Dizziness

Psychologically anxiety often results in:

Heightened alertness
Over thinking
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Excessive feelings of worry and fear
Feelings of dread or panic
Sleep disturbances (having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep)

So – is it stress or anxiety?

It can be hard to tell sometimes as they can have such similar symptoms – but the best way to differentiate between the two is by the cause.

Stress is generally caused by an external factor – something outside of yourself, like a deadline, an argument with someone you love, or an unexpected bill. Stress normally subsides once the deadline passes, the argument is resolved or the bill is paid.

That’s not to say that you can’t experience stress for a long period of time because you can. Chronic stress can be caused by a high-pressure job, caring for a loved one with a chronic illness or ongoing financial difficulties. Experiencing chronic stress puts your body into a ‘fight or flight’ state for an extended period of time which can lead to other symptoms and increases the risks of developing other health problems like adrenal fatigue, and burnout.

Anxiety, on the other hand is your reaction to a stressor (real or created) – it is internal. And, unlike stress, anxiety stays with you long after the stressor is gone.

If it’s anxiety…

So, if you’re experiencing anxiety please know that you’re not alone. And also know – there are lots of things within your control that you can change, things you can do to help yourself, and places you can go for extra support if you need it.

I experience anxiety myself – I thought everyone did until a couple of years ago when I was diagnosed with severe post-natal anxiety, but I wasn’t feeling too different from how I normally felt. A bit more digging and I was diagnosed with high functioning anxiety – and it’s something I’ve had all my life. I thought everyone experienced a similar merry-go-round of thoughts like I had cavorting around in my head – apparently not!

But – as a life-long anxiety manager or experiencer (I don’t like to use the term ‘anxiety sufferer’) I want to give you my top 5 tips or strategies you can put in place right now, to help keep your anxiety in check

5 tips to keep your anxiety in check

Breathe – breathing exercises are a great way to help calm down an overexcited nervous system quickly. My favourite is the 4-7-8 technique.
Eat right – this is so important for all aspects of your health. The really quick version? Eat a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, ensure you include enough protein, good fats and drink plenty of water. At the same time – avoid eating processed junk foods, too much sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Sunshine & fresh air – if possible, take a break from where you are or what you’re doing and go outside. Sit in the sun and soak up some vitamin D, take off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the grass. Don’t underestimate how powerful the calming effects of nature can be.
Exercise – move that body of yours. Get out of your head and into your body by doing something physical every day. You don’t need to run marathons or be lift record-breaking weights in the gym – sometimes the best thing you can do is a gentle walk or a good stretchy yoga session.
Meditation and mindfulness – practicing meditation and mindfulness can help to calm an overactive mind.

If you’re doing all these things and finding that it’s not quite cutting it for you, there are places you can get support.

Where to get support

Your first port of call should be your GP – have a chat and tell them how you’re feeling. They may be able to offer you some tips and tricks to get you back on track, or they will refer you on to other health professionals (like counsellors, psychologists, and/or psychiatrists) for additional support.

There are also some amazing organisations out there that can provide you with more information, resources and support. Some of my favourites are below:

There are also some great online courses out there that can be helpful. I did a course based onthe principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anxiety through This Way Up which helped me a lot.

Mindspot also runs a few online courses that may be helpful.

If you need immediate support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14