Article
Is this anxiety, or is it just stress?
Stress usually has an end date. Anxiety keeps going after the deadline passes, the trip is over, or the hard week finally ends.
The short answer
Stress is a response to something happening. Anxiety often outlasts the thing that started it and begins shaping how you sleep, eat, decide and relate. When the worry stays after the pressure lifts, it is worth paying attention to.
What tends to be different
Stress usually points at something specific. Finals, a move, a sick parent, a job that is asking too much. When the situation eases, most people feel their shoulders drop.
Anxiety behaves differently. It finds a new subject. You solve one worry and another slides into the open spot, and the body stays braced even when nothing is wrong right now.
Signs it has moved past ordinary stress
- The worry continues after the stressful situation is over.
- You are avoiding things you used to handle without much thought.
- Sleep, appetite or concentration have changed for several weeks.
- People close to you have noticed before you did.
- You feel keyed up and tired at the same time.
What to do with that
None of this diagnoses you. These experiences can occur with anxiety, and they can also come from grief, burnout, thyroid issues, or a season that genuinely is too full. Only a qualified professional who knows your history can evaluate what is going on.
What you can trust is your own sense that something has shifted. That is usually reason enough to talk with someone.
Common questions
How long should stress last before I worry about it?
There is no exact number, though several weeks of ongoing worry that is affecting sleep, appetite or focus is a common point at which people find it useful to talk with someone.
Can I have anxiety even if my life is going well?
Yes. Anxiety is not proportional to circumstances. Many women feel guilty about that, which tends to keep them quiet longer than they need to be.
Do I have to be diagnosed to start counseling?
No. You can start because something feels off. The first session is a conversation, not an evaluation you can fail.
Learn more about counseling for anxiety and depression with Lori, or browse all articles on anxiety and depression.
Written by Lori Rasmussen, LISW, a Licensed Independent Social Worker licensed in the State of Iowa and a Certified Spiritual Director. Lori counsels women and female students in Waterloo, Iowa and online across Iowa. Articles here are meant to help you understand what you may be experiencing; they are not a diagnosis and they do not take the place of care from a professional who knows your story.
Reaching out can be the first step.
You don't need to know exactly what to say, or have anything figured out, before you contact Lori.
Or email rasmussencounselingandsd@gmail.com