Is It Normal To Feel Stressed And Anxious?

Anxiety and stress are two of the most common psychological conditions in the world. People of every age, background, sex and culture experience stress and anxiety at varying degrees in their lives. But although these conditions have some similarities, and are often misconstrued with each other, they are actually quite different. It is essential that you understand the difference between the two so you can properly identify what it is you are experiencing and proceed accordingly. The short version is that it is entirely normal to feel stressed and anxious occasionally, but if it is becoming disruptive to your love life, work life and relationships, then it may need to be addressed.

Stress vs Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are both normal reactions to certain situations. The main difference between the two is that stress usually has an identifiable cause, while anxiety doesn’t. You may have heard the term “fight or flight” associated with stress and anxiety. This refers to a primitive reaction we share with all animals that causes us to fight or run away from a threat. In both stress and anxiety, the body releases adrenaline in preparation for physical action. 

There can often be a fine line between feeling stress or anxiety, but there are certainly ways to determine the differences between the two. 

Stress

Stress is a feeling of being overwhelmed and is usually attributed to, or contributed to by external stressors. This means that it is normally a natural reaction to events, feelings and situations. Everyone feels stress at some point in their lives, and it is not always a negative thing. Stress can be a sign that something needs to change, it can promote growth and make us more resilient.

However, when stress becomes debilitating, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems and persevering mental health issues, this means that you are experiencing stress outside of the normal, “healthy” parameters.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear, or unease that can be mild or severe. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as trembling, sweating, and dizziness. But while stress is usually caused by an external stimulus, such as a work deadline or test anxiety, anxiety is often internalised. This means that an anxious person can often be worrying about nothing at all. What confuses this even more is that there are many forms of anxiety which range from generalised anxiety, panic disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder. To learn more about how anxiety can manifest itself, see this informational guide by New Psychology: “Anxiety Disorders Explained”.

Are stress and anxiety normal?

Yes. Both are normal and incredibly common. In fact, anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the world. It affects all people of all races, sexes and cultures. Anxiety and stress do not discriminate, but fortunately, they are both treatable, and a high quality of life can still be attained if you have a history of stress and anxiety.

Treatment for Stress and Anxiety 

There are many different ways to treat anxiety and stress. Some people may benefit from therapy, while others may find relief through exercise, meditation, or mindfulness. It is important to find a treatment plan that works for you and your lifestyle in order to prevent these conditions from interfering with your daily life.

Treating Stress

There are many ways to handle stress effectively. As stress is often created from external cues, the best way to manage stress is to implement routine, healthy behaviors, good sleep hygiene, social connections and organisation into your daily life. Some of the most effective means of de-stressing include:

• Maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet
• Excluding or limiting caffeine products
• Regular exercise
• Practice meditation, mindfulness, breathing and relaxation techniques
• Minimising phone use and screen time
• Practice self-care
  – This can include anything from a bubble bath or massage, to a walk along the beach or lighting a candle and reading a book in bed. Take care of your mind and good things will happen.
• Visit with family or friends to destress
• Practice organisation and avoid procrastination 

Stress is highly individualised, as is the remedy. What relaxes someone else may not relax you, and vice versa. The key is to find the things that soothe you, and employ them in everyday life.

Treating Anxiety

Anxiety can be a little bit trickier to manage than stress, as it can often be internalised and pathological. 

• Educate yourself
  It can be immensely helpful to learn about anxiety, the symptoms and the psychology and physiology behind it. Not only does this normalise it, but it will help you adapt coping techniques and mechanisms that may be useful.
• Relaxation techniques
  As with stress, mindfulness practice, meditation and breathing techniques can also help with anxiety. Because stress and anxiety have physiological symptoms (racing heart, shallow breathing etc), by controlling breathing, you can minimise those symptoms and lessen the feeling of anxiety.
• Psychotherapy
  Psychotherapy is an incredibly effective way of treating anxiety. There are many different methods of talk therapy, but one of the most effective and reputable is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has a long, proven history of causing a positive difference in clients with anxiety.
• Medication
  If your anxiety is severe enough, there are medications called benzodiazepines which can be prescribed by psychiatrists. These medications increase the calming effects of the brain’s natural chemical messengers through the central nervous system.

Remember, you are not alone. Anxiety and stress are common conditions affecting people all across the globe. You are not abnormal or crazy for experiencing these feelings. But while both of these experiences are normal, you should not normalise being restricted by them. With proper treatment and healthy coping mechanisms, these conditions can be managed and you can live a happy, healthy life.