Contrary
to popular belief, there is a difference
between stress and anxiety. Stress
comes from the pressures we feel in
life, as we are pushed by work or
any other task that puts undue pressure
on our minds and body, adrenaline
is released, extended stay of the
hormone causes depression, a rise
in the blood pressure and other negative
changes and effects.
One
of these negative effects is anxiety.
With anxiety, fear overcomes all emotions
accompanied by worry and apprehension,
making a person a recluse and a bagful
of jitters. Other symptoms are chest
pains, dizziness, and shortness of
breath and panic attacks.
Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing
factor or stressor. Anxiety is stress
that continues after that stressor
is gone. Stress can come from any
situation or thought that makes you
feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or
even anxious. What is stressful to
one person is not necessarily stressful
to another.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension
or fear and is almost always accompanied
by feelings of impending doom. The
source of this uneasiness is not always
known or recognized, which can add
to the distress you feel.
Stress
is the way our bodies and minds react
to something which upsets our normal
balance in life; an example of stress
is the response we feel when we are
frightened or threatened. During stressful
events our adrenal glands release
adrenaline, a hormone which activates
our body's defense mechanisms causing
our hearts to pound, blood pressure
to rise, muscles to tense, and the
pupils of our eyes to dilate.
A
principal indication of increased
stress is an escalation in your pulse
rate; however, a normal pulse rate
doesn't necessarily mean you aren't
stressed. Constant aches and pains,
palpitations, anxiety, chronic fatigue,
crying, over or under- eating, frequent
infections, and a decrease in your
sexual desire are signs you may notice
which indicate you may be under stress.
Of
course, every time we are under stress,
we do not react to such an extreme
and we are not always under such great
duress or fear every time we are confronted
with a stressful situation.
Some people are more susceptible than
others to stress; for some, even ordinary
daily decisions seem insurmountable.
Deciding what to have for dinner or
what to buy at the store, is a seemingly,
monumental dilemma for them. On the
other hand, there are those people,
who seem to thrive under stress by
becoming highly productive being driven
by the force of pressure.
Research
shows women with children have higher
levels of stress related hormones
in their blood than women without
children. Does this mean women without
children don't experience stress?
Absolutely not!
It
means that women without children
may not experience stress as often
or to the same degree which women
with children do. This means for women
with children, it's particularly important
to schedule time for yourself; you
will be in a better frame of mind
to help your children and meet the
daily challenge of being a parent,
once your stress level is reduced.
Anxiety,
on the other hand, is a feeling of
unease. Everybody experiences it when
faced with a stressful situation,
for example before an exam or an interview,
or during a worrying time such as
illness. It is normal to feel anxious
when facing something difficult or
dangerous and mild anxiety can be
a positive and useful experience.
However,
for many people, anxiety interferes
with normal life. Excessive anxiety
is often associated with other psychiatric
conditions, such as depression. Anxiety
is considered abnormal when it is
very prolonged or severe, it happens
in the absence of a stressful event,
or it is interfering with everyday
activities such as going to work.
The
physical symptoms of anxiety are caused
by the brain sending messages to parts
of the body to prepare for the "fight
or flight" response. The heart,
lungs and other parts of the body
work faster. The brain also releases
stress hormones, including adrenaline.
Common indicators of excessive anxiety
include:
•
Diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
• Insomnia
• Irritability or anger
• Inability to concentrate
• Fear of being “crazy”
• Feeling unreal and not in
control of your actions which is
called depersonalization
Anxiety
can be brought on in many ways. Obviously,
the presence of stress in your life
can make you have anxious thoughts.
Many people who suffer from anxiety
disorders occupy their minds with
excessive worry. This can be worry
about anything from health matters
to job problems to world issues.
Certain
drugs, both recreational and medicinal,
can also lead to symptoms of anxiety
due to either side effects or withdrawal
from the drug. Such drugs include
caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cold
remedies, and decongestants, bronchodilators
for asthma, tricyclic antidepressants,
cocaine, amphetamines, diet pills,
ADHD medications, and thyroid medications.
A
poor diet can also contribute to stress
or anxiety -- for example, low levels
of vitamin B12. Performance anxiety
is related to specific situations,
like taking a test or making a presentation
in public. Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) is a stress disorder that develops
after a traumatic event like war,
physical or sexual assault, or a natural
disaster.
In
very rare cases, a tumor of the adrenal
gland (pheochromocytoma) may be the
cause of anxiety. This happens because
of an overproduction of hormones responsible
for the feelings and symptoms of anxiety.
While anxiety may seem a bit scary,
what’s even scarier is that
excessive anxiety and stress can lead
to depression. Suffering from depression
can be a lifelong struggle as I well
know, but the good news is that all
of this is manageable!
So,
let’s take a few little quizzes
to see if you are suffering from too
much stress, excessive anxiety, or
depression.
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