Is it Anxiety or Am I Just Stressed Out?

Have you ever wondered whether you’re experiencing anxiety and followed that thought with — “Nah, I’m just stressed out.” Maybe you’ve overheard someone else make a similar remark. People often use these terms interchangeably in their day-to-day talk when referring to feelings of worry and overwhelm.

We all experience anxiety, in one way or another, and it’s not necessarily unhealthy.

In fact, research on anxiety finds that to a certain degree, anxiety can increase productivity and performance. And fear… fear is an emotion many people strongly dislike, yet its purpose is to keep you safe and help you survive — quite necessary, I think.

Imagine you are out camping and hear a strange noise. You become alert and begin to scan your surroundings, assessing for danger and planning for safety. If a wild animal were to emerge, your nervous system would kick in to increase your chances of survival. If instead of feeling fear you felt, let’s say, playfulness, you might not fare so well. Fear and anxiety are built-in security systems — we need them.

Anxiety, or stress, may become problematic when its frequency and/or intensity increase so much that it causes a significant disturbance in your life.

This can look like: extreme indecision, avoidance, chronic procrastination, constant worrying, always preparing for worst-case scenarios, irritability, and even physical symptoms (i.e., headaches, indigestion, tension, dizziness). Suppose you’ve felt stressed or anxious for a long time. In that case, you may have also experienced a decrease in confidence and an increase in sadness and helplessness. This is not uncommon. Anxiety and depression can often present together, and one can perpetuate the other.

But one of the most important messages I want to leave you with today is this:

You can experience anxiety without it being an anxiety disorder; and it doesn’t have to be a disorder for you to get support.

If you feel you need support, listen to yourself! This might look like reprioritizing your to-do list, delegating tasks, reaching out to someone you trust, or making an appointment with a therapist. Regardless of what you call it (stress/ anxiety/ fear/ worry/ overwhelm), know this, you don’t have to deal with it alone.

You are worthy support.