Are You Stressed or Anxious?

Feeling stressed out and feeling anxious may have similar symptoms, but their sources are very different. While stress comes from a very real place, either from a deadline or a build up of unfinished work, anxiety is an overwhelming fear that you can’t shake.

When your anxiety becomes too great, you may need to see a therapist or take medication to abate any symptoms as it is no longer manageable on your own. Luckily, if you acknowledge your stress and find some calming techniques, you can reduce the stress you are feeling before it starts negatively affecting your life.

Some relaxing techniques are taking herbal supplements, taking a warm bath, or exercising. If you want to see a comparison of different herbal supplements and how they can help symptoms of anxiety, you should read reviews of different brands. You can find websites that provide different supplement reviews; click here for more or keep reading for additional cures of stress and anxiety.

Symptoms

The symptoms for both stress and anxiety are similar. The way you react to stress is just a lesser version of extreme anxiety. You feel symptoms in your body, such as

• sweaty palms
• fast heartbeat
• headaches
• stomach cramps
• quickened breathing
• problems sleeping

You also have psychological reactions, such as:

• panicked, racing thoughts
• obsessive worry
• thinking worst-case scenarios
• feelings of hopelessness
• spurts of irrational anger

It’s normal to occasionally experience these symptoms occasionally. Sometimes, you need stress to motivate you to get a task done. If you’re feeling butterflies in your stomach or sweaty palms before an important presentation or test, the adrenaline in your body will rise and allow you to perform exceptionally.

However, when these symptoms worsen your way of life, depriving you of sleep and make you unable to live peacefully with your thoughts, your stress has moved to anxiety.

Watch your symptoms; if they crop up occasionally depending on a new or challenging situation, that is normal. When these symptoms start interfering with your life, that’s when it’s time to start thinking of ways to reach a calmer self.

Ways to Cope

Depending if you’re dealing with stress or anxiety, there are different ways to help relieve painful symptoms.

Stress-inducing situations like the weight of a deadline or an appointment require more forward-thinking actions. You can:

• Make a list. Then, prioritize what needs to get done first
• Think positively. Remind yourself you can get through this.
• Start small. Finish something quick and easy. You’ll feel accomplished and able to do more.
• Ask for help. Remember that you aren’t expected to do everything yourself.
• Drink some tea. Calming teas like chamomile hit the spot when you need a break.
• Take a supplement. Look for supplements with chamomile, passion flower, and brahmi. They lift your mood and help calm your nerves.

Anxiety sometimes can be explained as overthinking. You often get wrapped up in your thoughts and start to panic about situations that are not real. If you see yourself getting too involved in your thoughts, you should:

• Identify triggers. That way you can avoid them in the future or come in prepared.
• Breathe. Practice deep breathing techniques.
• Meditate. Sometimes it helps to remove yourself from a stressful situation and sit quietly.
• Move. Get your heart rate up by walking, running, swimming, etc.
• Take a break. Take a warm bath, read a book, watch a TV show; anything to distract your speeding thoughts.

We must point out that if your anxiety is interfering too severely in your daily life, you can see a therapist and even consider taking medication. A little stress is normal in day-to-day life, but your life shouldn’t be unmanageable. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Got a Plan?

Now that you can recognize symptoms of stress and anxiety, you can be better prepared when faced with a stressful situation. You can prioritize your list of upcoming tasks to relieve your stress. Try starting small and think positively to tackle hard tasks.

Remember to not feel embarrassed to ask for help; you can also get help from supplements or calming teas. If you’re experiencing anxiety symptoms, such as racing thoughts and feeling hopeless, it’s time to take a break.

Take a bath, go for a run, or meditate – anything to remove yourself from the situation. You can identify triggers and be more prepared in the future. Once you know what to do, you’ll be prepared no matter what.