What’s the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?
In this article, I will define what stress is, cover the body’s biochemical response to stress, explore the difference between stress and anxiety, and offer some ideas of how to cope with/reduce stress.
Defining Stress
Stress can be defined as anything a person PERCEIVES as threatening. This means that the experience of stress can widely vary from person to person, especially depending on the intensity and duration of stressful events. Whether you perceive something as threatening and whether it actually is threatening does not matter when it comes to the body’s response. Your body reacts to your perception. Worried you are getting pulled over for speeding? You might as well be running for your life across the plains from a wildebeest. When it comes to your body’s reactions, it is the same.
Is there a difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress refers to an external threat- like that public speaking engagement you agreed to. It is also the body’s response to that threat. And when the threat is over, the stress goes away.
“Anxiety is the internal alarm or concern that arises when an external threat is not physically present. Anxiety is also the anticipation of a treat that never materializes.”
Heid, M. ( 2020, July). Rising to the Challenge. Time Magazine, The Science of Stress Special Edition, 13.
For example, you worry that you said something wrong or stupid to a friend. And replay the conservation over and over, analyzing the dynamics and how you acted. There is no external threat present and not able to confront the source of anxiety. Meanwhile, your body innately begins the process of building its immune response to the perceived fear.
Through an evolutionary lens, the human beings with higher levels of anxiety (ability to scan and perceive possible threats,) were the human beings more likely to survive and hence passing the anxiety genes to later generations. Thank you grandpa!
What happens in the body during a stress response?
Stress begins in the “emotional center” of the brain (the amygdala) that lies within the limbic system. The role of the amygdala is to sense and perceive threats and to notify the hippocampus (“fight and flight”) of any perceived danger.
Our “fight or flight” response mobilizes our body to react appropriately to the PERCEPTION of the danger. This is accomplished by releasing epinephrine (adrenaline) causing a cascade of physiological effects. (Increase heart rate, sweaty palms, more blood flow to the limbs.) The body allocates it’s energy to survive the threat.
The body’s cells move towards inflammation (by releasing cytokines) anticipating the need to protect to body from an attack. Cognition is impacted. On one side, we can become more hyper-focused when we experience a perceived threat and on the other, our decision-making skills become impaired due to the increased activity in the limbic system and decreased activity in the pre-frontal cortex (higher levels of thinking happens here.)
After the adrenaline is dumped into the body then comes the cortisol, the “stress hormone.” Having higher levels of cortisol circulating through the blood can lead to long term damage and chronic health issues. Cortisol helps us maintain our circadian rhythms, assists with cell growth and repair. If cortisol stays in the body at higher levels for longer, then the body can build a tolerance to the calming effects of cortisol causing inflammation, blocking out the body’s natural responses of rest and repair. This can lead to a host of issues over time.
What can I do to manage stress?
Begin notice with daily or hourly check-ins. Start small with making behavior changes.
What kinds of thoughts are occupying my mind right now? Worry, Excitement, Preoccupation, Fantasy, Regret. It is important to just observe and let go of interpreting or going further into the thought pattern. Just observe.
What am I noticing in my body? Where am I holding tension? Where is there a sense of ease in my body? Again, just be aware.
2. Help your body and mind relax but taking five deep belly breaths. (Make sure the lowest part of your belly is expanding with these breaths, this massages the vagal nerve. Read more about why this is important here. ). Take breaks throughout the day.
3. Get outside.
4. Balance the stress with self-care practices.
Is there good stress?
Yes! Eustress is the term used to refer to a moderate amount of stress that can be beneficial for the experiencer. An example could be challenging ourselves to do a kickass workout and afterward, you feel pleasurable feelings (accomplished, a sense of pride, increased confidence.)
Eustress is the stress you choose to take on and the mindset behind it. Like, creating realistic challenges for yourself and meeting those goals. For example, I want to write one blog per week. Do I have to? No. Do I want to? No. Does it feel good to do it? Yes!!! So good!!
Wow. We have talked a lot about stress. Let’s look at some coping skills and coping strategies for mitigating stress.
Coping skills and coping strategies for stress prevention and stress mitigation
Physical activity
Alchemize stress by letting your body move and discharge energy
Check your thinking regarding a stressor
Can you shift the way you are thinking about an event to turn DIStress into EUstress? For example, if you are worried about presenting to colleagues, “ugh, what if I mess it up?” Try shifting your thinking to something uplifting, like, “I get an opportunity to show how much I know on this topic and share my passion.”
Schedule in unstructured time
There are so many demands for our time. Give yourself two hours per week (I give myself two hours per day) where you don’t have anything planned. Give yourself permission to be unproductive. Yes! Isn’t that great!
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
We can teach and guide our body how to move from sympathetic “fight or flight” to the parasympathetic nervous system “rest and digest.” This take intention and practice. Especially if you are a trauma survivor. We need to rewire our nervous systems.
Read more about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and trauma here.
Boundaries
Boundaries are so important here. What are you saying “Yes” to and what are you saying “No” to?
Already feeling maxed out when a family needs something from you? Prepare yourself for a little discomfort and tell that person “No.” Your health depends it! Only you can protect your time and internal resources. Boundaries help us take care of ourselves.
Breath Exercises
Meditation
Getting Outdoors
Playing with Family and Friends
Watching Comedy
Laughing
Spending Quality time with Pets
Cooking a nice meal
If you want in-person or video guidance and coaching on the finding ways strategies to cope with stress and anxiety, I can absolutely help to find skills that can work for you. I often find that also helping people find and establish their physical, material, mental, emotional, sexual, and spiritual boundaries can be a game-changer in reducing stress. Reach out if you want to know more!!