Anxiety or Stress? How to Tell the Difference and When to Get Help

Everyone experiences stress now and then, whether it’s caused by tight deadlines at work, family responsibilities, financial concerns, or something else entirely. And all too often, anxiety can creep in too, causing persistent worry even if it’s not tied to a clear cause.

Distinguishing between stress and anxiety isn’t always easy, because they share many of the same emotional — and physical — effects. However, understanding their differences can help you respond in healthier ways and prevent things from getting worse.

Our primary care team at AssociatesMD knows how stress and anxiety can affect your wellbeing, and here’s what to watch for, how to tell them apart, and what to do when you feel like you’re losing control.

Recognizing the physical and mental effects of stress and anxiety

When stress or anxiety hits, your body reacts. Common physical symptoms of both stress and anxiety include a racing heart, rapid breathing, and muscle tension. You might also get headaches, stomach upset, or dizziness, or fatigue. Sleep often suffers too, and you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feel unrested even after sleeping.

Mentally, both stress and anxiety can bring trouble concentrating, racing thoughts, irritability, or feeling overwhelmed. Over time, unchecked stress or anxiety can contribute to other serious health issues, like high blood pressure, digestive problems, weakened immune response, or depression.

How to tell stress and anxiety apart

Since stress and anxiety share common physical and mental symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference. Here’s a guide to help.

Stress is typically triggered by external pressures. That means you can often point to what’s causing it, like a big presentation coming up, conflict in a relationship, or a change in your life, etc. Once the situation resolves or you cope with it, stress tends to decrease.

Anxiety may begin alongside stress, but it can also exist without a clear external trigger. Anxiety tends to be more persistent, continuing even when things seem to be going well and there’s no specific reason to believe something bad will happen.

While it includes physical symptoms similar to stress, anxiety comes with a mental state of constant worry, dread, or fear, sometimes disproportionate to the actual situation. If thoughts and worries are hard to control, interfere with daily tasks, or cause avoidance of things you normally would do, anxiety is likely playing a larger role.

When to get help for stress and anxiety

If you’re wondering whether you should seek help for stress and anxiety, the answer might be yes. Physical or mental symptoms that interfere with your everyday life shouldn’t be ignored, and here are some signs that it’s time to reach out:

• Your sleep is being interrupted most nights, or you awake feeling unrested
• Concentration is difficult, or you feel mentally foggy more often than not
• You feel overwhelmed, out of control, or find yourself worrying many hours per day
• You have physical symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, panic attacks, frequent headaches, or unexplained stomach issues that don’t go away
• You’re experiencing mood changes like irritability, persistent sadness, or feeling hopeless
• You’re using substances (alcohol, drugs) to cope, or avoiding things you used to enjoy

Even if symptoms seem mild at first, early help often prevents escalation. The longer persistent anxiety or stress goes untreated, the more likely it can lead to long-term physical health risks or more serious mental health issues.

Your primary care doctor: a great place to start

In many cases, your primary care doctor is your first and best resource when dealing with stress or anxiety. Our team at AssociatesMD has the compassion and experience to help you sort out symptoms, rule out physical causes (like thyroid issues or vitamin deficiencies), and suggest steps to improve your well-being.

Depending on your needs, we develop a plan to help you manage your symptoms and start feeling better. Common methods include lifestyle changes like regular exercise and proactive stress management techniques. We can recommend short-term or longer term medication if appropriate, and offer support for co-occurring issues like depression and insomnia.

Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life — but they shouldn't control your life. Being aware of symptoms and noticing when things go beyond what self-care can manage can make a big difference in how you feel now and in the future.

At AssociatesMD, our primary care services include support for emotional and mental health, and we’re here to help guide you toward the right care. Schedule an appointment at one of our locations in Plantation, Davie, Weston, Margate, Dania Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to get started.